Love Save The Empty
by Kitsunefan203
Summary: For as long as Leon could remember, he was always alone, but now...he could feel it. Warning: Suicidal!Leon ahead w/a regretting Chocobo hoping to make amends for hurting the Lion; based off the tune of "Love Save The Empty" by Erin McCarley
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All characters used are copyrighted to Square Enix and Disney. Vincent Valentine is from FFVII; I just threw him in to give Cid someone to be with since this is mainly CloudLeon.

AN: One night, I got bored and decided, while listening to "Love Save The Empty" by Erin McCarley to write a fanfic based around the tune, but it turned into more of a twisted, angst riddled fanfic feeding off Leon, used to be Squall's, past of being left alone at the Orphanage in FFVIII. Let's just say, I send our favorite little Leonhart into a tailspin which sends his mismatched "Family" into a hurricane of turmoil. Kind of that twist, "Changing styles, and wanted to write angst a little to kick the Chocobo in the tail to realize what he would be losing if he hadn't been such an idiot with Leon," and just wanted to write angst/suicide like fanfic. Kind of shake up the genres I write on and post here. Each chapter has a particular song tied to it which lays the way for the mood of the chapter.

As it is. Each song used is copyrighted to the artist that is responsible for singing the tune. I don't own the rights to the song.

* * *

Chapter1-Here Comes Goodbye

_Here comes me wishing things had never changed  
and she was right here in my arms tonight…_

_But here comes goodbye_

_~Here Comes Goodbye by Rascal Flatts_

It didn't feel real.

It didn't seem real.

But yet, the warmth was there.

Cloud for once wasn't trying to nail him into a wall or screwing with his head with devious thoughts that turned the man into a whimpering shell of a man that was just begging for the man to never leave and just keep loving him. Warmth was all that was around, a cool breeze was blowing, but there was warmth. Warmth for the first time in a long time and soft caresses; Leon had always felt caresses from Cloud, but they were usually after wonderful and ecstatic moments of pleasure that burned down into his core and left every inch of him tingling, even after it was after. Then there were the times they were happening just after it had ended while the man whispered soft words, words that were as Leon seemed to take them, empty and meaningless.

Like their love.

Empty and meaning less.

He wasn't loved.

He was just the man's toy.

But why would the man care so much for a toy by letting the toy have its way of just lying there on the green hill, reading contently while the sun warmed his skin and the player of this toy. Sat nearby, fingers' running in and out of each crevice of the man's chocolate locks while in his other hand held tight to the hilt of a sword, a sword that had knocked countless throws of enemies in his lifetime. It seemed too good to be true. He was going to wake up and realize the position he was in; same old position of him being held close against the blonde's chest, the man's head rested in against Leon's neck with their legs intertwined with one another. Then there would be that simple tingle that would come when the blond would shift and the pride and joy of his body would brush against Leon's, leaving him shivering with anticipation and yet, fear that the man would wake up and want to go at it again.

_Just let this dream go on a little longer…_

But it wasn't a dream and he wasn't in the same familiar; instead of intertwined, bared bodies as the day they had been brought into this world. Leon's head that had been in Cloud's lap in the far off distance dream was being shaken, shaken like a snow globe while there had been only one hand through his hair in the dream. Both of the hands were on his hair and head shaking him, the soft whispering words that had been coming from the dream Cloud were now shaking out and scared amidst the sounds of others trying to pry him off Leon.

What was happening?

Why was the warmth gone and…why was their darkness and ice now coming over him?

* * *

"Leon! Leon! You've got to wake up! Oh Gaia, Cloud, why did you let him take those pills?! He's easily swayed and easily hurt…What did you do to make him do this?!" a familiar voice was crying now as her hands slapped at Leon's face, faint bruises were forming on his slowly growing pale cheeks, "Leon, please, you can't do this to us…Cloud didn't mean to do that…He didn't mean it…He doesn't understand what it's like to be alone for so long…abandoned even…Please…Please, come back to us…"

Familiar sounds were heard outside the house as heavy footsteps rushed in followed by the sounds of plastic wheels hitting against the carpeted flooring, "We need you to give us some room to work," one of the men remarked as the young woman, Yuffie, was pulled away by a young woman with the same color hair as Leon.

"Aerith…" Yuffie clung to the woman's chest as the men began working on Leon, when he wasn't responding to their questions and mannerisms to check if the man was simply playing them, "W-Where…WHERE ARE YOU TAKING HIM!?!"

Yuffie was frantic as she chased after the men as they started to wheel Leon out of the house, "Tell me where you're taking him!!"

"Sorry ma'am, only immediate family have that right to know," the man pushed Yuffie back, gently as they began to load a slowly fading Leon into the back of the ambulance, "If you find his family, let us know and we'll direct them to where we're taking him."

* * *

Cid Highwind and Vincent Valentine, a seemingly innocent pair, were in the middle of walking home from the store with food in their arms when they spotted the sight of red and blue lights coming up from the small home they knew too well. Fear was growing in Cid's stomach as his steps quickened even with his less then adequate body from years of abuse upon it as Vincent followed just as quickly after the man. He read all too soon the fear etched on the salty man's ragged face as Cid dropped the bag of food, which Vincent caught in mid-run as he heard Cid starting to scream and yell at the men in the ambulance.

"What the Hell and where the fuck do you think you're going with my son?!" Cid bellowed at the driver, slamming his hand against the Driver side window, finding any reason to not wrench the door off its hinges, "Why the fuck are you here?! What the hell happened here, damn it!?"

Being as cautious as the driver could be, the window rolled down no more then halfway down, "Sir, I'm going to ask you to calm down and step away."

"LIKE HELL I WILL!" Cid ranted again as he attempted to reach in and drag the little prick of a driver out of ambulance by the window opening, "TELL ME WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HERE!"

"Captain," Vincent called out from behind an enraged Cid as his old eyes fell on his adopted kids as it seemed; Yuffie was still clinging to Aerith and had all but cried herself out as her sobs had become hiccups, "It is best that we do not aggravate these men…"

Cid was about ready to turn his anger on Vincent, but that wouldn't be right; Vincent was the one thing still left in his life after he had lost the monogamous only woman in his life, Shera, to an accident only five years ago. Snapping at Vincent now would've possibly convinced the man to leave Cid alone and bitter like he had after Shera's death; he calmed himself down as he watched Yuffie cleaning herself up.

Vincent turned towards the driver, "The man who was harassing you just now is the young man in your vehicle's Father, but not biologically…he's the man's adopted son as are the others over there," his eyes casted over to the small crowd that were in and out of the thralls of grief over what they had come upon, "Please, tell us, what is the nature of your visit to this home and what has happened here?"

"Heh…We got a call from the young man that he wanted to die because what was the reason for living if everything and everyone you thought cared and loved you just leaves you when they feel its best for them," the driver sighed as he heard his partner in the back trying to keep Leon alive, "We've got to get him out of here before we lose him."

"NO!" Yuffie screamed as her tears and cries turned to wails till she seemed to pass out in Aerith's arms while the other "sister" watched on, hugging the duo as Cid all but shoved the ambulance off himself.

Cid grunted to himself as he slammed at the man's door again, "Well, then get the fuck out of here and save my son! If he dies, I'm leaving you responsible for it!"

"I don't think we'll be the one's responsible…I think the young man mentioned in your "son's" letter…is going to be the one to lame the blame on, don't worry, we're going to do all we can to save him," the driver's attention was drawn to the Paramedic and the sounds of a heart monitor beeping erratically.

"We've got a Code Blue! FLOOR IT! WE'RE LOSING HIM! FAST!"

* * *

Into the night, the sounds of sirens and alarms filled the night air as cars moved out of the way for the wailing ambulance as Cid tried to keep the car at the speed limit without costing him or some innocent person or family their life. He was frantic to chase down after the ambulance and the amount of cigarette's in the ashtray of the car was evidence enough of the man's worry over his adopted son. Vincent had opted to staying behind to keep an eye on the others; Yuffie had been passed out for the last hour to hour and a half after hearing the horrendous thoughts that they may lose Leon. Aerith had been keeping an eye on her, holding her hand and now and again, changing out the washcloth on her forehead as she fought back tears. She could hear Yuffie mumbling in her passed out state words of distress over Leon, threats against Cloud should he ever _think_ of returning to clean up his mess. But what broke her heart was the girl was blaming herself for all of this; she had been the one to bring Leon and Cloud together shortly after Restoration and now, all of that was crumbling in front of her.

Cloud had up and left without a word.

And now…

She was slowly losing Leon and was liable to lose him within the next hours.

Tifa sat at the kitchen table, playing with the rim of the coffee mug in her hands while now and again playing with the paper tab of the tea bag that bobbed up and down in her mug. Vincent had taken to keeping a vigilant eye out for his beloved; he had never seen the man so angry and distraught at the same time. He had asked the man to call him or the house once he had reached the Hospital; he couldn't help worrying that the man would do something hasty on his way to the Hospital. His hand steadied on the phone in his human like hand as he waited for word on what was going on with Leon, but especially Cid. He knew how Cid could get towards things of such things as this; especially when family was concerned and right now, family was concerned.

Cloud Strife, the reason for the downfall of the crumbling families' distress, was returning home from recently being called to the Coliseum. Phil, whom was the owner of the Coliseum, had been facing recent problems with troublemakers that figured they could get off easy with trying to harass Phil and Hercules. Short work was made of the trouble makers and for a simple evening, such as this, Cloud didn't suspect there would be much traffic on his journey home. Unfortunately for the man, that seemed to come to halt as he flew down the road; in the midst of his travels, he could've sworn that he had passed by a car similar to Cid's car. There was no reason for Cid to be out this late at night, but as he got closer to home and saw that Cid's car was gone and the lights were on in the house; a sinking feeling hit his gut. Everything was blaring in his mind that something had happened to someone close to him and the number of people it could be was endless, but the one that rang out on top was…

"Why is Cid's car gone? Where's Leon? Is everyone alright?!" Cloud burst into the house without another thought as he started to scan the house over, "Baby, Leon, you here! Please don't hide from me! If I've hurt you in anyway, I'm sorry, I'll do whatever to make up for it, just please stop hiding…you're making me scared…"

Tifa took over watching over a groaning Yuffie as Aerith walked calmly and slowly up to Cloud, but as she placed a hand on Cloud's shoulder; she nearly lost her hand as she felt Cloud turn around quickly, "Cloud…"

The house became a place of horrors as a rumbling roar of howls erupted from Cloud as the man fell to his knees; he instantly knew what had happened, but he had never seen it coming from Leon. He had heard of Leon's issues of abandonment; even though he was a hard trained SEED Commander, he had still wanted someone to latch onto and feel as if he belonged. He had hardly known his Mother and then the same had become of his Father, all he knew was that his old man had been part of the Military Forces at one time or another, fallen in love with a simple woman and then as the years had progressed. The woman had passed on, but word as to where her child was had become an utter loss on her part, but as Leon, known as Squall Leonhart at the time, had gotten older, the issues of being left alone had gotten worse. They had started only after he had been locked into an abandoned room inside Balamb Garden after hours by Seifer as to make the man into a man as he later put it; _"Just because I felt the little pussy needed a little pussy whipping, you know, whip him into shape to be a man. He's a man for crying out loud…not some girl…but he acts more like a girl then a man."_

_

* * *

  
_

For weeks, he had not been able to sleep without at least someone to be there to assure him that when he awoke the next morning that they would still be there; that only went on till the teasing had gone on and was halted the day Leon as Squall had punched in a guy's nose. That was the same time the man had faced down off against Seifer; it seemed Seifer had not heard that the man had grown a pair, as lament as it may have seemed, and in order to try and gain an upper hand on the smart mouthed bastard. He attempted to fight the man off since it had been Seifer that figured they should "spar" before the Final Exam for all SEED Candidates. The scar upon Leon's face had been proof enough of that, but when the World he came from had been destroyed from the inside out, the abandonment thoughts had slowly crept into his subconscious. Those same thoughts were what had been eating at him slowly like Darkness creeping into a person's heart; thankfully, he had found a friend in Aerith. She had managed to bring him out of the stupor he had grown into, Yuffie just added to that happiness even if she seemed to have an almost secondary agenda. That agenda being; keep Leon from being a brooding Lion and at least get the man laid, no man should be as uptight as Leon was without having some underlying sexual tension. That tension, as she had seemed to point it out to him over and over again, only got worse when Cloud entered into the equation after the man had come back to his friends after his showdown against his own darkness. Cloud Strife, Ex-SOLDIER, and hardened warrior had a small percentage of the Darkness at his disposal for the use of fighting against the things of the Darkness. He was perfect, no scars, or at least Leon could see on Cloud at the time; the only ones were the ones on his heart and psyche.

That's what drew Leon to Cloud.

They were broken hearted and broke down men of backgrounds that were from Worlds were fighting had been common place to assure the safety of all.

But there was one thing that separated them.

One wanted to be left alone and wanted to at least die alone.

The other…

He wanted someone to be there for him when the pain of loneliness stole at his heart.

Cid sat in the Waiting Room, fighting off the itch to go and smoke in the Ambulance Bay, but he knew if he left, just to smoke; he would never hear the end of it should word come that they had lost Leon. His fingers ghosted over his cell phone's keypad, "Got to call the House, Vincent will kick my ass then shoot me full of those special rounds in Cerberus if I don't keep my promise," his fingers fidgeted over the keys till he swore to himself, remembering how to do the speed dial for the house.

"Come on Vince, pick up…"Cid grumbled as he chewed on his lip, imagining it was a cigarette, "Pick up dam---!"

"Cid?" Vincent managed to pick up after the first ring.

Cid sighed to himself, "Hey babe, I'm just calling to check in and tell you that I made it here without an accident…"

"…Any word on Leon?" Vincent's tone seemed to drop an octave as Cid could imagine Vincent was moving into another room; that never meant anything good, "Or have you been allowed to him see yet?"

A grunt came from Cid as he ran a tired hand down his face, "Sorry babe, I just got here and I've been trying to find out news about the kid, but these damned Doctors and Nurses won't speak to me …"

Yuffie groaned again as she started to muffle something about Leon as Tifa kept an eye on her, telling and comforting her that he was going to be fine, but try telling that to a nearly comatose blond that was sitting in a corner, rocking back and forth in a corner. Cloud had nearly destroyed the house when the information had sunk in about what had happened while he was gone; Vincent was dealing with being a force of reasoning for all that was going on.

"Heh…Just find out what's going on and get home, we're having our own crisis here at home," Vincent's gaze turned to Cloud who had resorted to curling into a tight ball with his back turned to a worried Aerith, she was extremely worried since the man had resorted to being feral towards here, "Please come home soon…We've got a Lone Wolf here that is extremely upset that his Lion isn't here and…that thinks his Lion may be leaving him…"

Cid sighed as he saw what had to be the tenth Doctor or even Nurse to pass by him in the last fifteen minutes, "I'll try, babe, but I can't promise any miracles…"

"Just come home safe," Vincent sighed heavily, "I love you, Cid…"

"Love you too my Dark Angel…"Cid clasped the phone closed as he made his way to the Nurse's Station, "Hey doll, is there anyway I can get one of those High Degreed Pricks over there to give me the time of day on what's going on with my son, Squall "Leon" Leonhart?"

* * *

Everything felt different; he felt as if he was free, it was as if he had disappeared back to that world of pure and utter peace, Cloud was in the same spot as he had seen him sitting in as always did in his dream. But Cloud wasn't running his fingers through his locks like he always did in the dream; the hand was still, it was like the man was a mere statue. Leon had lost interest in the book in his hands as he placed it down on the ground beside him; his hands cautiously crept up towards the man's hand that should've been resting in his locks. What he felt next scared him; the feeling of teeth settled on his forearm as he cried out, using his other hand and arm to beat on the thing that the teeth belonged to. But that was beaten off as Leon found himself staring face to face with the person, or as the case would be, _beast _that was glaring into his eyes; anger fired through those eyes that stared at Leon. One paw was holding the man's forearm in place while the other kept Leon's other to the side to stop him from attempting something stupid or foolish to throw off the creature. It may have seemed like a light weight, but the force that was exuding down on his frame said otherwise; it was as if the man was being crushed under at ten ton boulder.

"L-Let…Let me go already," Leon attempted to scream at the beast but the feral like growl coming from its lips as its jaw locked its toothy grip on his forearm, "Please…"

The feral growl grew deeper till the feeling of the toothy grip loosened up, but only slightly, a tongue could be felt lapping up at the blood that had started to form from the bite, _"Stupid man…thought you could leave us? What made you think you could leave us? What would Lion say if you left us…?"_ a softer release of the man's arm began to fall into place at the creature's jaw released the man's arm completely and a soft whimper was slowly replacing the feral growl.

Leon couldn't understand what was going on, but for one reason or another; he had become as submissive as a kitten that had been caught doing bad, "I…I…I thought Cloud didn't want me anymore, I woke up this morning and he had left a note saying he was going to be gone for a few weeks and not to wait up for him when he got home…I thought…"a soft tear started to roll down his cheek which caught the feral animal's attention as he leaned forward, licking the tear away, "…If he didn't want me anymore, why didn't he just tell me face to face…?"

* * *

"What have you done so far for the Patient, Nurse?" the Doctor at the bedside flipped through Leon's chart, "Has someone from the Psych Department been up to see him once he's awake?"

The Nurse checked on Leon's stats again and again, never noticing the internal shifting he was doing; a hand would clench and unclench now and again as the man seemed to grunt in his sleep. It was something that no one suspected as being out of the ordinary; the man's stomach had just been pumped shortly after his arrival and after he had been revived at least three times. There was going to be movement to show the man was slowly coming around, but he wasn't ready to wake up, his internal mental struggle wasn't over even if the feral animal on him had given up the fight.

"…_Why Lion swallow nasty pills? Was Lion sick?"_ the wolf like creature had settled into lying beside Leon as he purred to himself as he felt Leon's fingers running through its long silver locks, _"Did Lion not feel good…and thought that he should heal himself without us?"_

Leon sighed, "Yeah, the Lion was sick…"

The feral animal could tell that Leon was avoiding the real reason for answering and could read into that answer, _"Why didn't you tell Sisters? Green eyed one could've given you something…those pills you took made Lion better?"_

In their own twisted and false hoped way, they had been a help to him, but they didn't do anything more then hurt others and him. He had felt most of the charcoal that had been shoved down a tube that had been thrust down his throat to help him spew up the pills; the taste of it was still on his lips. Pills had become an escape from it all, every ounce of pain, empty promise, and words; they made it all disappear faster then alcohol he had downed the pills with. Cid was going to be furious when he found a bottle and a half of his Rum, that had received from Elizabeth and Will Turner in Port Royal, as a token of thanks for always being willing to run supplies to them when they need them.

But what would it matter.

He was suppose to be long gone by now, but it had seemed, his turn to escape by the use of, stupid enough as it seemed, sleeping pills, had been deterred when Yuffie found Leon curled up like a cold cat on the floor of his bedroom. Book in hand with eyes half to almost fully closed, he was the picture of peace and a man that was going to be at peace eventually, but her screams had all but deterred those plans.

"Yeah…for a little bit, but they ended up hurting instead…"Leon laid out against the grassy hill as the feral animal's head rested on his chest, softly whining and nuzzling at Leon, "…Especially…Sisters…and probably Cid…"

"_Lion is very stupid. Fenrir no like it when Lion is stupid. When you wake up, because I know you will, be prepared for punishment bad Lion. Host no like it when Lion, whom he calls Kitty or Kitten does stupid things to himself. They make Host sad,"_ a soft sound of a harrumph came from the feral animal as its tail began to softly wag as a smirk started to grace its furry muzzle, _"Host is going to enjoy punishing bad Lion…he always does and he knows bad Lion likes it when Host punishes the bad Lion…"_

It was hard for Leon to not chuckle at the animal as he carded his hand in between the animal's ears, "Yeah, but only when it's not making this Lion incapable of not being able to sit down for the next two and a half weeks."

The animal gave a soft chuckle as it could only do, _"Well, this one has to go…have to go tell Host that stupid Lion has learned his lesson for now and knows what is waiting for him when he gets home…Time for stupid Lion to wake up…Time for stupid Lion to wake up…"_

Over and over the line repeated until Leon's eyes started to softly flutter open and the first thing they found themselves looking at was the chest of a female Nurse who all but screamed the minute she saw his eyes open, "Doctor! Doctor! Patient Leonhart is awake!"

_Damn woman…can you be anymore shrill?_

_

* * *

  
_

Cid was on his seventh or eighth cigarette by the time he had been given word that he could come and see his "son" that had woken up, but it would be just a little while longer before he would be allowed Visitors. That to Cid was a load of, pardon his French as he would said, a load of bullshit! No one was going to stop him from seeing his adopted son because the boy was going to have a stern talking to once he was fully coherent and was able to be fully aware of his surroundings. Especially if someone was going to chew his ass for something as stupid trying to kill himself over something as stupid as thinking that Cloud Strife would ever desert the man.

"Sir! We can't have you seeing him just yet, we have our on Staff Psychologist on her way down to speak to him at the moment and it would not be beneficial for you to---SIR!" the Nurse all but lost her cool as she watched Cid storm past her, "Sir, I will not ask you again to refrain from entering the Patient's room, I will have Security escort you off the premises until further notice if you fail to comply with our regulations!"

It had been a long day, and an even longer night; he was in lack of nicotine since he had seemed to have smoked most to all of his pack of cigarettes on him and he had been looking forward to a quiet dinner with the family. Then an even quieter evening spent in the arms of his, Dark Angel, as he had so aptly nicknamed Vincent, but that had been on put on a halt the minute he came home to the sight of an ambulance and a frantic and panicking Yuffie. No Nurse with a tight fitting scrub top was going to tell him when and where he could go when it came to kin.

The man turned on the frantic Nurse, and before she could get out more of her tirade, "Listen missy, I swore on my dearly departed first love before the love in my life now's life that I would never strike a woman, but lady," Cid rose a hand to meet the woman's face, "You're pushing it. Either piss off and let me see my son or go and call your Security to haul me off, but either way, I'm going to find a way into see him. Got it?"

"This way, sir," the Nurse seemed to say, an air and huff of annoyance and defeat in her tone as she guided Cid into Leon's room where the Psychologist had perched herself alongside Leon's bedside, "If either one of you need anything, don't hesitate to push the Nurse Call Button."

* * *

It was after midnight when Vincent muffled a groan as he looked over to the phone on the side table buzzing, who could be calling at this hour, "Hello?"

"Hey Vince, I got word on Leon…"Cid seemed more collective then he sounded in his tone as his hand ran through Leon's locks; his "son" not bothering to admonish that his "father" was still utterly pissed at him, "Seems the kid is going to have to stay over night; Doc wants to make sure he's not going to have some bad reaction to having his stomach pumped of the sleeping pills and to let the _rum _he drowned them down with work its way out of his system."

Vincent sighed as he looked over the Living Room; Tifa and Aerith had taken to sleeping on the floor of the Living Room, Tifa nearby on the small loveseat just nearby to Yuffie to keep an eye on her. Aerith had taken to keeping vigil over Cloud; the man had not moved a single step or inch since curling into a ball against the distant wall, but even if no one could see it. He was plotting and planning how he was going to punish Leon for his stupid act; he had heard not too long after from his own internal shattered psyche Guardian like Force about why Leon had done what he had done. The plan would have to be altered from the light slams he was proposing to give the man when he got home; he had planned to punch Leon around the room some as to knock some sense into him as it seemed. But after hearing why Leon had done the act; he altered the slams about the head into the walls, that would've brought the girls in and would've made him look like a monster, it turned to him giving Leon his space for the first moments he was home. If Leon still felt that he was going to be skittish around him; he was going to let the man slowly come back to him.

If Leon decided he wanted to just be back in Cloud's arms for reassurance that the man still loved him and was not planning to leave him alone like the man had thought by reading too far into the note. He would resort to just being there to hold and comfort the shattered man, only then after would he resort to punishment.

It was going to be good to have Leon home and his arms again.

"I'll let the girls know in the morning what's going on then…we might come and visit him tomorrow if that's alright by them," Vincent made sounds of agreeing with Cid that turned to heavy sighs, "Cid, what have I told you about threatening bodily harm to others?...I don't care if she was a bitch to you….Cid…Cid…Cid, stop yelling….Heh, I'll see you in the morning….Goodnight, love…send our love to Leon as well…Alright, goodnight my Captain."

Cid hung up his cell phone as he pocketed it, "Hope you're proud of yourself, kid, you had the house in a stir…" the man slipped down into a chair that had been placed next to Leon's bedside, "You're going to have some ass kissing to do when you get home; especially to Yuffie if she doesn't kick yours first, but I think the one you're going to owe big time to is…"

The man's words became quiet as he saw the man leaned forward; his long bangs covering his face and the tears coming from his eyes, "Heh, come on, kid…We all fuck up now and again…"

"Cloud is going to leave me again once I get home…He'll never take me back after doing something so stupid…I know what he says about me and had said about me before we came together…" Leon softly whispered as he clutched at the bed sheets, "I'm worth nothing more then a handful of seeds to feed to something called a Chocobo…"

"No, you aren't…"Cid tried to make light of the situation, but he could see it wasn't helping, "Strife is just an asshole like that; he was even as big an ass back when we were fighting together on our Home Planet…We only figured out why he was such a hard case after he told us that he never was truly in SOLDIER."

"He had made it all up, he was using the stories a friend of his that he had befriended who _was _in SOLDIER because of some babbling about that Cloud was to be the guy's legacy…"

The room's door opened as what seemed to be the Night Nurse popped her head in, "If you gentlemen need anything, I won't be too far away…"

Cid nodded to the young woman, "Thanks ma'am…"

"Heh, best to get some rest, Leon…Vince is going to be bringing the girls around tomorrow if the prick ass Doctors here and even tighter assed Nurses here don't make a fuss about it," Cid stretched out in the chair as he prepared to sleep in the uncomfortable chair, "Maybe Strife'll come on by…"

"…Maybe," Leon softly remarked as he laid back down; trying to close his eyes and drift off to sleep, but the prospect of that was one that was looking unpromising, _"I am a stupid Lion. Then I guess…that makes Cloud a stupid Wolf for thinking that he could happiness with a fellow predator."_


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Refer to Chapter 1, still don't own anyone.

* * *

Chapter 2

Morning seemed to be a torturous gift to everyone in the way it burned in through an almost empty home and the nearly empty, quieted halls of a hospital meant to be a source of refuge for the injured and house a place for the lost and weary to seek higher guidance. Streaming golden beams of the morning light was lighting up these places; each their own stage for what was coming, but its players was slow to rise. Enter the singular home that had been a place of sanctuary filled with warmth and hope, caring and smiling faces, welcoming embraces and charismatic charm. Filled with simplistic players that each to their own had a role to play in this act; the mother like figure but yet eldest Sister figure that saw over every squabble. A younger Sister was there to guide the misguided when the Motherly was unable to be at the beck and call of stilling the squabbles and shattered masses. Then finally, there was the little Sister. She was a role of the trickster and torturous little imp that found much joy in torturing those that were similar in position of being her older "brothers". But the "brothers", if that was what they were, were woven into a taboo act of love for one another, but it was shared then it was not shared of the same nature between the "brothers".

It was like watching the tale of Cain and Abel; it happened each time that the other threw their blows to one another.

Cloud would've fulfilled the role of Cain well.

He _slew _the Abel that was Leon, enough times to qualify.

Leon would offer simplistic gestures of just wanting to be in the man's presence and enjoy what they had, but then there were times that Leon would overstep the boundaries that had been set up in Cloud's simplistic, Cain-like mind. As a result of that, Leon would be hurt. Not in a physical sense, but the marks of the punishment for hurting Leon for overstepping those boundaries were imprinted on the brunet's mind.

No one had to look him over to know that they were there.

They were just there.

But now, the home that could've doubled as the Biblical Garden of Eden had been thrown into a turmoil stage change of Purgatory as it seemed; everyone was suffering in their own Hell. Even if the backdrop was of Purgatory, salvation was at hand as the Motherly figure, Aerith got up from the floor from her constant vigil over a quiet and comatose like Cloud to prepare breakfast. This house and the family within its walls were not going to be allowed to fall into despair even if one of its own was gone from the stage. Tifa stirred next as she saw that Yuffie was still out cold since last night as she walked, begrudgingly into the kitchen.

"How's Cloud holding up, Aerith?" Tifa allowed a glance over her shoulder as she saw that the blond was still huddled against the wall, the only signs that he was still alive was the rise and fall of his chest; "I guess he's still kicking himself over Leon…"

Aerith kept her gaze down at the bowl in her hands, "You want one or two pancakes, Tifa?"

Whenever Aerith would answer a question with something that wasn't relevant to the question; it usually meant she didn't want to answer the question or with the present situation, she didn't want to dwell on the present situation. Dwelling on what happened and what could've been done to change it was not her style. Vincent had not slept at all through most of the night and it wasn't because of the lack of not having Cid in his bed with him; he was not someone that required sleep as much as others.

"Morning girls," Vincent grumbled out as he sat down at the kitchen table, "Before you ask about Leon, Cid called me after he had been allowed in to see Leon, finally, and they may be keeping Leon in for a while; they want to ask Leon about why he did what he did…"

Tifa seemed crestfallen, "Did they say whether or not we can see him?"

"Leon…Leon…"Yuffie grumbled out from the sofa as she neared the edge of the sofa and the floor.

Vincent shook his head, "Cid didn't mention whether or not they would allow him visitors after last night's near miss…as far as Cid could find out; Leon coded at least three times before they pump his stomach," a soft chuckle came from Vincent next as he sipped on a cup of morning coffee, "Cid wasn't too pleased when he found that not only had Leon taken at least almost two bottles of sleeping pills; he chased them down with almost an entire bottle of the Rum from Port Royal."

Aerith chuckled to herself; it was her way of trying to hide her grief and pain about Leon, hoping her salty tears wouldn't fall into the batter cooking on the stove top, "That's Cid for you…"

Soft sniffling could be heard from the wall Cloud had taken to becoming friends with during the night; he couldn't believe the others were making light of the situation. Leon had nearly died, three times. To him, it was just a sick and twisted way of looking at the situation, but even in the hard times its best to make light of the situation. Cloud couldn't bring himself to do it, Leon was his soul and life and he had been the one, in a figurative way, placed the pills and Rum into the man's hands. While the others were making light of the situation, Yuffie started came to as she smelled the scent of fresh coffee and pancakes in the kitchen. It didn't take long for her to get over things as she bound into the kitchen, poking in and around Aerith's waist while she swatted at the girl's hands to keep out of the batter.

"Come on, Aer, let me just have a taste of what you're making…I bet they're not as good as Leon's," Yuffie felt tension rise in the kitchen as everyone seemed to halt everything they were doing, but then it turned as Yuffie pulled away, "I'm sure they're going to be good, Aerith."

Vincent was willing to endure the hounds of Hell for anyone, he was willing to put up with the fact that everyone was upset and worried about Leon, but the fact that it was as depressing as a Memorial for someone that wasn't even dead, _that _was something he could _not_ stand much longer as he placed his mug down on the counter, "I'll call Cid up later and see if its alright with the Doctor that Leon have visitors…because I am going to go crackers in this house if you guys don't start getting happy. Leon wouldn't want to see you guys the way you are now…"

"Breakfast is done!" Aerith chirped up among the cold demeanor hanging over the house as the others turned to sit down and eat; no good going to see Leon on empty stomachs.

* * *

As if the lights had been blotted out like a real play, the lights moved to the quiet halls of the Hospital. The Hospital was beginning its dance of morning routines; patients were to be attended to, assure that during the night one of the patients didn't decide to die during the night. Vitals and Stats had to be checked, stir a patient here and there that was destined for another place; be it home or surgery, breakfast carts were starting to roll through the quiet halls towards hospital rooms. Sounds of wheeled carts wheels creaking and squeaking was the sound interrupting the silence of the Hospital halls, but the sounds of machines beeping and doing their own musical dances were coming from the occasional open room's door. Moans and groans of patients soon followed the beeps and wheeled carts wheels as well as the sound of family that had spent the night had loved one's bedsides as they checked on their loved one. The Hospital was becoming an ecliptic music hall of sounds that were being made by the most magnificent instrument that has ever been created that could not be created by human hands. Doctors were groaning at the realization that they had been on their feet for the last twenty-four or forty-eight hours or even longer without a moment of rest while cheerful Nurse's walked in. Those were the younger one's while the older Nurse's grumbled at the cheerful way the youth walked in, stupid to the way of how this Hospital changed them like the changing seasons. There was one final player that had yet to awaken amongst the sounds of odd bells and whistles; Leon.

Leon had spent a good part of the night in and out of sleep, unable to sleep in such a strange and awkward place; he had grown use to sleeping with Cloud and wakening to the blonde's arms slipped around his waist. Cloud's nose would be buried so far into the back of his scalp that he had to take a double take now and again to assure that he wasn't feeling cold because of an open window. Those feelings had not bothered to venture towards him last night and he couldn't roll to his side like he would've wanted to; damned I.V. that they had instilled in his arm had assured that wasn't going to happen. For one reason or another, Cid had found a way to fall asleep and at some point in the night Leon had managed to find a way to sleep to the sound of Cid mumbling about Vincent with a smile on his lips. Hearing the man's voice talking in an enchanted voice about the one in his life seemed to bring Leon some peace to fall asleep as his thoughts drifted to Cloud. But he hadn't been left alone in his sleep; he had thought when his World was destroyed by a force that had been entangled with the Darkness of the Heartless he had feared that the Guardian Forces he had obtained through hard work and training had all but left him. As unfortunate as it may have seemed, one seemed to have stayed around, housed about his neck this entire time.

_~Flashback~_

"…_Why do you still lay here awake, Proud Prince of Balamb Garden? Rest is good for your harmed body…" a creature had appeared to Leon during the night that had come in the form of a mountainous beast with a mane of deep chestnut brown with a body build colored of a lighter chestnut color, "And why is that you are in this sterile place and not at home within the arms of the proud Wolf…? Did you and proud Wolf have another fight?"_

_Leon simply shook his head as he gathered his knees to his chest, hiding his tearful face from the proud animal, "I did something stupid…I tried to die to get away from the proud Wolf's pain against me…"_

_The animal seemed to nuzzle his soft muzzle up against Leon's, attempting to get the man to look up at him and as he did; he saw that tears in Leon's proud face. Its tongue lapped out at the tears that were falling until he felt Leon's arms bound around the animal's neck, pressing his face in against the animal's wild mane; it didn't have the heart to push the usually brooding man off of him. All it could bring itself to do was sit on its haunches and rest its head up around Leon's as it placed a proud paw about the man's back; bringing Leon in closer as to hold him like a cub that was looking for forgiveness after it did something bad. Leon's tears caught themselves in the animal's mane as the animal unwound from Leon; it wanted to hear more about what Leon had done and why he had done it._

"_What did you do to yourself proud Prince…why did you want to die and why do you think proud Wolf is going to want to hurt you now?" the lion waited for Leon to answer as the man gathered his thoughts about him._

"…_I took some pills that weren't not for me to take and I drank a liquid that I know Cid will not to be too happy about that I drank…and I did it because…" did he truly have an answer for what he had done? Did he really need a reason for wanting to escape from it all and the cause of why he had done it? "…because…I thought the proud Wolf was leaving me and didn't want me anymore…at least that's what I thought…and now, he might want to reprimand me for harming myself and thinking such stupid thoughts…"_

_A soft to heavy sigh came from the lion as it raised its paw to cuff Leon like a bad cub, but it simply placed its caring paw on the man's shoulder, "Silly proud Prince…proud Wolf will love you no matter what you do and he would never leave you…he thinks too much of you to leave you…"_

"_That's what he promises, but sometimes…"Leon started to yawn; it seemed that conversing with the Guardian Force, Griever had all but worn the man out, "…sometimes I don't know…if…it's worth the…"_

_Leon seemed to be drifting off as he curled up against the lion's paw, resting his head in against the crook of its leg, "Sleep now proud Prince…Sisters come tomorrow with proud Wolf, probably proud Wolf, to see you tomorrow…need strength to face Sisters, especially little Sister."_

_With a soft groan, Leon had drifted off to sleep._

"Leon…hey Son, time to wake up," Cid groaned as he rubbed one sleepy eye with one hand as the other softly shook the man awake, "Doc's here and wants to talk to you."

Leon groaned, why couldn't people just leave him alone for five more minutes? "Don't worry about it, Mr. Highwind, he's had a rough night and usually when cases such as his have come through something like what he went through…they tend to want to avoid all contact, if at all possible."

Cid was lost in what the Doctor had said, "Give it to me straight, Doc, only had some country bumpkin education as a kid and fancy big words like that and wording like that kind of makes the head a little too befuddled…"

"In simple terms, Leon has to wake up when he wants to; he's got a road to recovery ahead of that's going to be hard since he doesn't want to face his "family" after trying to commit suicide…he's feeling guilty over what he did," the Doctor remarked as he looked over Leon's chart, but what he or Cid didn't see was that the man had cracked his eyes open, "Good Morning, Mr. Leonhart."

"Morning," things were going to be none to simple or easy for anyone now.

Leon only started talking in singular words or phrase of lines when he knew he was in true trouble or didn't want to speak to anyone. Cloud usually was the one that got this kind of treatment or people Leon wasn't familiar with; it had become a safety net to fall into whenever things got too bad for him to handle. The only person he knew that spoke in singular words or phrases had been a young woman known as Fuujin that ran with the man who had been the one to make him doubt being loved.

Cid grumbled to himself as he fought back thumping Leon upside the head, but the Doctor seemed to stop that, "You hungry? Because I'm sure I could wrangle up a breakfast tray for you from the breakfast cart."

"…Sure."

"Anything special you would like?" the Doctor was attempting to make conversation; the only way to get to a patient that had attempted Suicide was to attempt and be as friendly as possible, but not too quickly, "Eggs, toast, something easy on the stomach?"

"Coffee."

Cid was slowly losing it, "I wouldn't mind a cup of tea, but I've got a question, Doc."

The Doctor turned his gaze towards Cid, but always watching Leon out of the corner of his eye, "What is it, Mr. Highwind?"

"Would it be alright if my "family" came to visit the kid? They were kind of shaken up after last night's fiasco with the ambulance being called out and the near death experience the kid had last night…I'm sure they'd want to see him," Cid watched for a change in Leon's expression, but it hadn't changed from the hardened glare of a Lion plastered on his face.

"I don't see any harm in it, but the visits are going to have be short because I've scheduled a time for Leon to speak to someone in our Psych department; it only seems best that he speak to someone about what happened," there was no ill movement from Leon; it was as if he was a simple statue watching and admiring the unfolding drama around him.

_Lovely, another person to blab my woes to._

_

* * *

  
_

Cloud had been in quiet counsel with his own seemingly quiet and to itself personal Guardian most of the morning; the animal was a stoic and quiet wolf that had appeared to him after Zack's death and during his times of brooding. It had been the reason Cloud had appeared short and uptight when around Barrett and the others, especially Tifa during the time of AVALNCHE. Eventually, Tifa had managed to piece together what had happened to her childhood friend. But it had been Aerith's "special" personality that had brought the wolf forth; her gentle kindness and Cloud's seemingly quiet and not too forward interest in the brunette healer had caused the animal to slink forward. It liked Aerith and her gentle ways. But to the Wolf, Tifa was seen as a companion and possible mate for its Host; it was destined forever to be a Lone Wolf, but Cloud shouldn't be. When Aerith had been killed by Sephiroth, the animal all but went to hiding and seclusion, leaving Cloud with the bitter anger that had been in the animal's heart which had fueled him to destroy Sephiroth. It was only after their World had been destroyed and they were forced into hiding into the World they were in now that the wolf had once again come out of hiding. Especially once it realized that Aerith was alive, Cloud had all but thrown his arms around the woman when returned from his showdown against Sephiroth in the Coliseum. The animal was all but ready to pounce out of Cloud, its Host, and lather the woman's face in affectionate licks and nuzzle itself in against her chest, but that all changed once its senses had locked in on Leon.

Leon had been something else.

Griever was never one to go looking or sending out a scent for someone else to pick up on its want for another to latch onto, but its mere sad demeanor was hidden behind the mask Leon had placed on himself to hide from the World. He buried all of his pain of the past down deep and away from everyone, but his Guardian Force, Griever, wore it like a badge of honor and it had become the come hither scent that the wolf, Fenrir, had picked up on and sought after. It was those scents that lead Fenrir to try and nearly kick his Host's ass into realizing he had someone that liked him in many ways was right in front of his face and could use the companionship. If not on a level of platonic love for the man, at least someone to talk to or at least spar with because asking Yuffie to fight him or even Tifa was just asking for Cid to beat the man upside the head.

"_Stupid Lion knows he messed up, but he's afraid you'll hurt him if you see him or if he sees you…if you do see Stupid Lion, be nice to Lion…he's hurting bad, Host…__**you**__ hurt him deep, Host," _Fenrir paced back and forth in front of his Host as now and again he would send soft growls and grunts at Cloud, _"Stupid man you are…Stupid Lion loves or at best loved you and what you do? You spit in his face with telling him to not wait up for you when you got back from your Mission at Land of Dragons. Be glad this One not leaving you to be like every normal human Host; empty and soulless…"_

Cloud sighed as he ran his hand through his hair, waiting for the animal to stop pacing; he was getting dizzy, "What do you suggest I do? See him or not see him? Either way, he's going to be upset and frightened of me…"

The animal finally stopped pacing as it huffed out a heavy sigh as it seemed to give Cloud a dignified glare, _"This One say you take your time with Lion…Lion is going to be skittish for a while after what happened…Give Lion space and when time is right, then you may approach him, only if he wants you to approach…"_

"You better be right or else I'm going to have one hyperactive Ninja, a big breasted terror and a quiet, but fierce Healer and an even more pissed Airship Captain and his Dark Angel lover on my ass," Cloud heavily sighed as he rubbed the pads of his fingers against his temples, "I've got to get up and eat breakfast before Yuffie kicks my head in."

"_Good luck, Host and remember; Lion might need space, afford him that much…"_ with those final words, Fenrir disappeared from Cloud as the man uncurled his tightly balled body and made his way for the kitchen table.

* * *

Cid was content with his mug of tea as he watched Leon staring at the plate of food in front of him and the half drank or hardly touched of coffee on the tray table; he hadn't seen Leon move an inch after the Doctor had left. A soft sigh came from the Captain as he moved out of his chair and for the doorway, "I'm gonna go make a call to the House, let 'em know that the Doc gave the green light to see you, the girls will be happy to hear it."

"…If Cloud comes," Cid stopped at Leon's coarse voice speaking up that was laced with a shaky tone of fear and rejection for the man, "…Tell him that I don't want to see him, at least, not just yet. Its nothing personal, I just need to get my thoughts in order."

"Can do kid," Cid finished his travels out the door and down the hallway towards the Ambulance bay where he had been dying to smoke out of every orifice if it was humanly possible the night before, "Hey Vince, got news for you on Leon."

* * *

Vincent made soft grunts and groans as he listened contently to his loves voice over the phone; filling him on every detail about what was going to happen, Leon was going to have stay for about a week at local rehab center. At least Leon didn't know about that detail just yet; he was going to be allowed Visitors throughout the day, today only, but they would have to be brief since Leon had an appointment with the Psych Department's Doctor. What crushed Vincent but what he saw coming was Leon's proclamation about Leon not wanting to see Cloud, at least not yet. Vincent took it all to heart as he heard the tired tone in his lover's voice and he could tell the man was probably due for a cigarette break or two, or more by this point. Just the thought of a jittery Captain without his cigarette fix, fight the urge to snap at someone because of lack of nicotine and even more, lack of a certain Dark Angel, just made the man laugh.

"I'll pass the information on to the girls and Strife…I don't know how Strife will take the news, but I'll handle it when it happens, we shall be over this afternoon…Yes Cid, I'll bring you your smokes…Just calm down and try and have a clear head for Leon; he needs someone with a clear head around him right now…Alright, I'll see you then my love, goodbye Cid…" Vincent hung up as he let out a heavy sigh, "…Time to face the wolves."

* * *

Food didn't seem appealing to Leon at the moment; the taste of the activated charcoal they had passed down his throat to get the pills out of his system had still been on taste buds. Everything that could have passed by his lips just made him want to gag, but the smell of the food was filling his senses and making him internally salivate; even Griever was starting to salivate. He was whining at Leon to eat something because he felt he was wasting away; how could a Guardian Force waste away if it was only an a subconscious spirit in his mind? Griever had several arguments to come back with, but Leon wasn't about letting something in his subconscious get the better of him. To shut up the whining Lion that had turned into mewling kitten; he was going to forcefully feed himself and to his surprise, it didn't taste as bad as it looked or tasted going down as he made himself believe.

"I see someone's got a healthy appetite," a gentle voice called from the doorway; it was the Morning Nurse and everyway, she reminded him of his old girlfriend, Rinoa Heartlily, "How are you today, Mr. Leonhart?"

Leon was about ready to swallow the fork and the mess they called scrambled eggs all in one moment, but he had Griever to kick him back into real time as he swallowed the gob of egg and placed the fork down, "…Fine."

A soft smile graced the young ladies face, "That's good to hear, I'm just here to check your vitals and then I'll be out of your hair."

"…Fine," Leon remarked as a dust of blush crossed his face; he tried to hide the scar on his face, but it was hard to not miss.

"I guess you're a man of very few words," the Nurse began by taking the man's blood pressure as she stuck a thermometer into the man's mouth, "Can you hold that in there for a moment?"

Leon greeted her with a gentle nod, "Thank you," she began to go about her routine, but she never once noticed the scar on his face, "Have any visitors coming to see you?"

The man simply shrugged his shoulders; how could he answer if there was a thermometer in his mouth?

"Oh, sorry about that," she softly chuckled as she took the thermometer from the man's mouth, read the temperature and jotted down the blood pressure, "Well, you're within normal ranges; it was nice talking to you, Mr. Leonhart."

Leon softly grunted as he turned his eyes to the side of the bed; why did everyone in this World have to remind him of someone he lost back on his own World? It was torturous and not fair; who was it going to be next? Quitis, Irvine, Selphie, Zell…or even his old man? Life was torturous like that and he didn't like it; that's why he didn't want to exist anymore if he had to face torture like that by having to lose that he loved or cared about. Thoughts of that night he had tried to do away with himself wafted back into his thoughts; it had not been the first time he had planned and almost carried out killing himself. A few months after he had arrived in this World, after something as silly as the way Yuffie had tumbled down a set of three or four steps and the way she had landed had made Leon nearly break down.

Selphie had done that during his Final Exam to become a SEED.

He had bought all he was going to need to end it all and to follow through with it; he had bought the rope, the pills that would be the secondary assistance should the rope not help him in his attempt to escape this reality. Unfortunately, that plan had to be halted after word had been received that the fabled Keyblade Master was going to be showing up as well as the King's envoys. Then the countless numbers of Heartless that had slowly started to show up in Traverse Town had all but halted it all, but once the final doors to Darkness and Heartless were dealt with. Leon believed it was fate giving him a second chance at leaving all of this behind, but when he sought the materials he had hidden away for the action; they were unable to be found. Rope that had been hidden away diligently had been used for a better use; it was being used to pack up things to move everyone and everything into the last place of Darkness, Hollow Bastion. Pills had been for the strains and pains of the slowly moving to Hollow Bastion and eventual reconstruction of the hollowed and darkened World into the place known now as Radiant Garden.

Fate, you fickle bitch.

That had been all Leon could say to it, but even as fickle a bitch as it could've been; when Cloud had appeared in Hollow Bastion shortly after the Group had arrived, something had come over Leon. Cloud's mere appearance stunned Leon to his core; he represented to him everything he had been feeling, loss, doubt, loneliness and just the want and need to be away from everyone. A broken and scarred man like him, it just had to be way from the man was dressed, but Aerith had managed to fix that in the man. When he had watched Cloud wrap his arms hesitantly around Aerith as she embraced him; he felt his heart burn with something as he watched the man's soft blue eyes look towards him and if he hadn't heard it himself. He could've sworn that the man had purred at the sight of seeing Leon; if Cloud was Leon's imagery personified image of everything the man was, Leon was Cloud's imagery personified muse. Leon to Cloud was an image of utter perfection even he was marred on his face; he represented everything Cloud wanted to be, pure and Light. But that had all changed within months after Restoration was over and it seemed more everyday problems were slowly creeping up on the peaceful Worlds. Cloud seemed to be more and more away from Leon and at first, Leon had been up for facing that challenge head on; alright, the man he had taken comfort and solace in had to be gone for long periods at a time. What was the harm in it all? Alone was something he had grown accustomed to and it meant he could spend sometime to himself and read, something he had missed when he had started spending so much time around Cloud.

It only got the demon thoughts of abandonment stirred up.

Cloud had at one time had been called back from a Mission somewhere because the bastard he had been chasing for months, even after Restoration was over, had returned to Radiant Garden. This time, he was seeking Cloud out using bait; Leon.

~Flashback~

"_So…you came after all?" Sephiroth smirked as he kept a hand about Leon's throat by running his gloved fingers about the collar he had snapped about the man's throat, "I'm glad to see you came for your little pet…He hasn't been that fun to play with…"_

_Leon cowered away from the man's fingers but gagged as the man's other hand yanked hard on a chain he had attached to the collar, pulling him in hard against Sephiroth; he could tell the man was hard from the sensation against his thigh. It took everything in Leon's shattered self conscious to not melt into it and cave into the man's ill will in front of Cloud. Sephiroth was enjoying this far too much._

"_Let him go, Sephiroth…I'm the one you want," Cloud growled out at the man as he gripped First Tsurugi in his hands, "He's not worth your time; he's already made up his mind about people…He doesn't take lightly to new assholes in his life."_

"_Is that so?" a dark smirk had crossed Sephiroth's features as he leaned down, pulling Leon up close to his face as the man's tongue traced a simple pattern of a heart on Leon's cheek, "Are you that much of a prude, Leon…?"_

_Leon cowered away as he tried to escape a few inches from the man but he had realized it wasn't worth it as he felt the chain nearly choke the collar about his throat, "…Cloud, please…call him off…I just want to go home…"_

"_Oh, I'm sorry little Lion, but once I find what I want…"Sephiroth yanked hard on Leon's collar as Leon found himself having to slam into the man's nether regions, earning a guttural groaning moan from the silver haired man, "…I don't give in or up on my little prize…I'm sure that Strife doesn't regard you as more then just a friend…"_

"…_He…he…"Leon couldn't think or speak, but all he knew what came next was that he was disrobed of his shirt and jacket, but everything else aside from his belts and boots were gone, "…Where…where am I?"_

_A soft sigh came from the bedside, "You're home, Leon…Cloud would've been here to tell you that, but Aerith is working on healing and closing up some of the wounds he sustained in his fight against Sephiroth…"_

"_Tifa…"Leon groaned out, but it was raspy._

"_Just rest…"_

That's all Leon wanted to do now; even if the sleeping pills had been flushed out of his system through the Doctor's shoving charcoal down his throat to save his life, there still remained on his mind the thought of sleep. Tossing and turning, fighting over how he was going to face Cloud after the stupid thing he had done the night before had left him ragged and tired.

"…I didn't know then, that was when you truly cared…but when did you start to stop loving me, Cloud…?" Leon groaned out as his eyes became heavy, sleep coming on him; a nap would be nice, he could be fresh and ready for his friends when they came to see him, "…When did the loving all stop?"


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Still don't own anyone; Vincent is still part of FFVII and the forementioned, kind of all characters that Leon is seeing in those around him are from FFVIII; they might in their own way make their reappearance but not as much as it might seem

* * *

Chapter 3

As the lights in their own way faded away from the stage where Leon stood as the starring role; the lights were slowly rising upon a new stage and a singular player. Piled upon the stage was files upon files of patients, past and present as well as new ones that she was having to keep an eye on; some were mild compared to the others that were on plate. Why was she piled down with the crazy ones? Did she pissed someone off in a previous life that made her be stuck with some of these crazy cases or was it something that came with territory of being a Psychotherapist for the Hospital? She hadn't figured that answer out just yet and it seemed it was about to fall in her lap the minute her fingers tiredly ghosted over the new file that had fallen on her desk.

"Heh, what's it this time? Angsting teenager that couldn't deal or handle the pressure of living on another day in this stupid World? Girl lost her boyfriend and decided that she couldn't live without him?" her dainty fingers flipped the chart open and what she found staring at her was not what she was hoping for, "…Well, this is a nice change of pace."

Facing her was a picture of Leon and a written up history as far as Cid could work up from what he knew about Leon and everything he had ever told anyone about his past; it didn't seem like anything to her till she got to the part that said that the man had had another name before arriving in this World. Chalk up this case to a man with possible Dissociative Identity Disorder or multiple personalities in laymen's terms; then there was the information she was supplied that this hadn't been the first time he had attempted something like this. It seemed that after moving from Traverse Town to Hollow Bastion was finished, Cid had started to notice that Leon was looking about for the things that had gone missing from his room; Leon had been furious when Cid told him that Yuffie had brought the things to Aerith and Aerith asked Cid to dispose of the items. They had been put to good use as Cid had told Leon then and that sent a flag up to the woman; this was not a normal case. This man was truly troubled, especially if he had somehow managed to get his hands items worse then the original form of suicide attempt and had sent the man into a downward spiral that had put the Doctors into reviving the man, not once, not twice, but three times.

"Patient Leonhart is a new case that has fallen on my desk and from what I have been able to find out from the man that seems to be the young man's Father figure, it seems that Patient Leonhart is a troubled man," the woman stopped as she sighed away from the tape recorder in her hand, "I'm going to possibly suggest to the "Father" that if Leon is not better after the week long stay at the Rehab Center that it be seriously considered that heavier therapy be prescribed for Leon…and at best, that the young man be placed on Suicide Watch during his stay."

A soft knock seemed to interrupt the seemingly bored Psychotherapist, "The Doctor for Mr. Leonhart was wondering if you would come down and speak to Mr. Leonhart before his family shows up to speak to him…"

"I'm coming," the woman pushed her chair out as her long blonde hair draped about her shoulders; part of it was thrown back into half hearted attempted bun as she pushed the glasses back on her face, "Best to see what kind of person I'm dealing with…"

* * *

Yuffie was looking all over the Waiting Room as Aerith kept an eye on her to assure she didn't run off, Tifa was doing all she could to not reach and grab Yuffie herself and tell her to sit down. The girl's pacing was driving the woman up the walls, but Aerith's gaze now and again seemed to simmer things down, but Vincent was mostly anxious to see Cid. He had to see for himself that Cid wasn't banged up like he had told Vincent the night before on the phone. Cloud was being Cloud, hidden off in a corner of the Waiting Room that was vacant since the others had found reason to tell the Nurse at the Nurse's Station that they were fine, it was all in their heads. At least that was their tale, they just wanted as far away from Cloud as possible since he just oozed out charm.

"Vinnie, when can we see, Squall?" Yuffie bounced about in front of the man's face, "I'm bored and I want to see him!"

Vincent rolled his eyes for the thousandth time as it seemed, "First of all, his name is Leon, not Squall, you know that and should respect Leon's wishes, and secondly, settle down. We can't go in without Cid."

"Did I hear a certain Dark Angel say my name?" a grinning from ear to ear Cid walked in as he held his arms out for the man to gather into them, but Vincent wasn't having any of it, "Come on babe, I told you last night, I'm fine…I didn't get into any bang ups on the way here and I'm tired from sleeping in a not too comfortable chair beside Leon's bed last night…Not too much in the mood for the playing around game."

"…Captain," Vincent worked himself into the man's arms as he softly nuzzled his head under the man's rough chin as he felt Cid's arms wrap around his frame, "What is the status of Leon?"

Cid sighed as he ran one calloused hand through the man's hair, "He's stable; they had to pump his stomach last night after they revived him for the third umpteenth time. He's not really talkative to anyone…and they've got a therapist or some screw with your head Doctor coming down later to talk to Leon about what happened."

"Can we see him?" Yuffie bounced up and down on the balls of her feet behind Vincent as Tifa finally gave an exhausted chuckle at the sight as she and Aerith walked up to Cid; curious of the answer.

"Yeah, you can go see him, but I don't know how talkative he's going to be, because when I went by earlier to poke in on him, he was dozing asleep. Kid didn't sleep all that well last night," Cid relinquished his hold on Vincent slightly as he ran a hand across his tired face, "Just don't bring up last night to him or try and beat his face in like I know you're planning brat."

Yuffie puffed her cheeks out as she huffed past Cid, "No fun Old Man," she didn't hear the string of profanity that left the salty old man as she headed down the hall towards Leon's room with Tifa and a giggling Aerith in tow.

Aerith took one last look over her shoulder towards Cloud as she saw he was still in the corner, "…You going to come, Cloud?"

"…Just give me some time…"Cloud gruffly grunted as he kept his gaze directed somewhere around his boots.

* * *

Leon started to stir as the sounds of the door opening to his room and the smell was wafting under his nose; mentally, he had begun to nudge at his Guardian Force, but all he got was a movement of tail and a slight head lift. The thought of food, yet again, even if it was lunch time, didn't seem appealing to the animal and Leon shared the same feeling, both just wanted to sleep the rest of the day off. Nice wish that was interrupted by a burst of a familiar hyperactive Ninja's voice breaking into his room and throwing herself on him. Thankfully the Afternoon Nurse was gone by now and the same for the Lunch personnel that had left his lunch for him; he wouldn't have wanted them to see the dysfunctional family he had to live with and been tied to after his arrival on this World. Tifa and Aerith had to be enjoying watching the wild Ninja attack him as he tried to catch some rest, but all Yuffie wanted to do was nuzzle her head into his chest and fight back the sob in her voice that he cold hear in her voice.

But thank Gaia or someone for Big Sisters.

"Yuffie, give Leon sometime to wake up before you start attacking him in his sleep," Aerith seemed to giggle as Tifa pried the Ninja off a slowly stirring awake Leon, "How you feeling, Leon?"

_How stupid did that sound just now_ was the thought that ran through Leon's mind as Aerith seemed to blush out of embarrassment, "That was stupid of me."

Tifa chuckled to herself as she seemed to grow quiet, "…Cloud came home after you had been taken off last night and let's just say he's kind of distancing himself for now, he feels bad about being the reason why you're here…"

"…Is he here at all?" Leon's face drew into a look of heartbreak as his bangs fell against his face; hiding it from the others, "Or is he ashamed to see me?"

"No, he's not ashamed of you, Leon," Aerith threw her arms around him, "He's just being…Cloud, he just needs a little bit of time to process all of this…"

"Then he is ashamed of me," Leon seemed to growl under his breath which meant that talking to the man was null and void right now.

Cid's grumbling could be heard as he slammed his fist against the doorway, "Stop your brooding, brat, just be glad the damn Chocobo head came at all, just give the kid sometime…He doesn't show emotion a lot."

"Captain, I think its best that we leave Leon to his own for now…" Vincent looked over his shoulder as he saw someone that had to be from the Psych Department coming towards their general direction, "And I'm sure Leon would like to get some rest…"

Thank the Gods above for Vincent Valentine, ex-Turk and expert marksmen that had found a companion and long term, hopefully for the rest of his known days, lover and self proclaimed husband in the old Airship Captain. Vincent seemed to be the only one that could rope the old Captain in whenever the man felt he needed to insert his final words on a situation or whenever the man said the seemingly wrong thing at the worse possible kind of time. Why Vincent was in love with the Captain was beyond him. He had come to know Vincent after things seemed to be going fine with Restoration when word had come from Halloween Town that it seemed a friendly face had heard about the Group's move and was on his way to Hollow Bastion. No one was sure or what Mayor Jack Skellington meant, but when Cid was working on fixing up the Computer that had been rigged up in the Main House of the Committee Building. He was sent into a tailspin of swearing and cursing after cracking his head under the hardtop keyboard of the computer, not to mention he had come up swinging at the person that had dared to draw their fingers slowly down his back.

The one spot that he was most sensitive about and there was only person that knew that spot.

Vincent had spent the next week and a half locked up in the Captain's room getting "reacquainted" with his old flame which could've later been described as a long term vacation where all the men do was rediscover one another's bodies and working one another into pure ecstasy.

* * *

"Excuse me, but would this be," the blonde Doctor flipped opened the chart before looking out on the crowd around Leon, "Squall "Leon" Leonhart's room? Because I've already made enough mistakes this afternoon…"

If Leon wasn't already suffering from painful memories of those he had lost after the Morning Nurse that had resembled Rinoa had treated him that morning, then the Gods must really hate him to greet him with a woman that looked similar to his old Teacher back at Balamb Garden. She looked almost the spitting image of Quitis, aside from her demeanor; there was no one else that would have the same personality, attitude and quirks like here. Quitis had never been someone to mistake what room someone was in. Leon couldn't bring himself to answer to that question she had asked, but it was made worse as a Male Nurse walked by, grabbing her waist in which she slapped at him.

"I'm on duty right now, or have you forgotten, Aaron?" the woman glared at him in which the man seemed to give her a customary smirk and if he wasn't wearing a cowboy hat when he bowed out, Leon would've probably lost it, "I'm looking for Mr. Squall "Leon" Leonh---"

That's when he lost it, "You found the right room, miss…the man sitting there in the bed sobbing like a little child is Squall "Leon" Leonhart, but we all call him Leon…" Cid remarked as he ran a tired hand through his own locks as he watched Leon falling into utter turmoil.

* * *

Slowly but surely, Cloud was starting to become part of the landscaping of the Waiting Room with the still way he was leaned against the wall, eyes directed squarely at an interesting spot on his shoes. His shoes had been the first reason why Leon had even bothered to speak to him as it seemed or a reason to speak to him, but it hadn't been something friendly. Leon had become a fickle person over keeping the Committee House clean and picked up, especially when others came over to visit him and being the prude that he was; he didn't care for sharing a home with the others. And the others had respected the man's wishes, but Cloud, he had another approach towards the man. He liked to watch the man in a tizzy; he would tell himself that it let him glimpse at the side of Leon that just drew him to the man without the man consciously know he was flirting with a dangerous person. When Leon would get drawn into a tizzy and seem to flail about like a tizzy spun Chocobo, especially during times when it would rain; compared to most bird's that would just stop and stare at it and drown in it. The Chocobo would end up running around like a chicken with its head cut off.

Leon was just that, but he looked like someone was ordering him around to do other things while trying to juggle tens of thousands of other things. The man was just laughable like that and it took everything Cloud had time and time again to not laugh at the man out loud, but there was one time in particular that Cloud had pushed the man too far with the shoe issue. Leon had been quiet about trying to keep away from telling the man that he had told thousands of times again and again about not wearing his shoes into his home and if he refused to do that much, at least keep his feet off his furniture.

Cloud took it as a challenge.

Leon took it as a reason to throw the man out on his ass and get it through to him that he wanted just things to be respected, that's all.

The last time he had worn his shoes into the house; Leon had come after him, wielding Leonhart with threats of castration and changing the locks on his door to putting a scan system on it that would prevent his entrance. Cloud had managed one way or another to break Leon down till the point that it had become a common place when Cloud came over that Leon wouldn't rail on him about wearing his shoes in his house or on his furniture.

First, and probably last time he would let the man wear the damned things to bed.

A soft chuckle of remembrance crept up in Cloud's throat as he fought back a choking sob, "…He kicked me out of the house for a week and a half because of that…and I got back in after three days…"

The chuckle turned into a hysterical laughter that broke down into choking sobs as the man slid down along the wall as he covered his face with his gloved his hands; his entire body shaking and racked with emotions that he hadn't experienced in what seemed years. Leon had unconditionally loved the damned man and what did he do? He spits in his face in a sense of a silver lining through a note that told the man to not wait up for him on his venture back from his latest Mission.

Stupid move.

Stupid man.

Stupid everything.

"…I'm sorry, Leon…I'm so sorry…"

* * *

Leon woke up shortly after the others had left the room, he had all but forgotten what had happened before his groggy wake up from a medication induced sleep; he had lost it with the simple show of cockiness from a Male Nurse to his Psychotherapist. The man had lost it to the point that he had started screaming, wailing, thrashing, and nearly destroyed the room and damned near ripped his I.V. out to the point that his family and friends had to be escorted out of the room. At first he was thrashing then the next thing he knew; he had someone holding him down while a silver tipped syringe was lodged into his bicep which slowly sedated him. His eyes had grown heavier and heavier with each passing drip of the sedative. Gargled as it may have been, Leon had been able to make out some of the words that were said as his "family" was let out and all he could see was a fuzzy image of his hand. He had been reaching out for someone as they were escorted out; Cid and Vincent were told the extent of what was going to happen and the last image Leon had before the sedative took him under was the image of Yuffie. Yuffie was in tears and had clung to Tifa's side as Aerith simply ran his hands through Yuffie's hair, attempting to quiet the young woman, but yet again, like at home. She had simply passed out from lack of energy left to cry her tears anymore for the man; she was lifted into Tifa's arms as Aerith placed an arm around Cid's while Vincent took his other arm.

Leon had completely drifted off by that point and by the time he had awoken; he had found that his wrists had been bound to the sides with sheepskin like restraints and the same could be said for his ankles. A chuckle of nervousness, kind of a defense mechanism of sorts, came from Leon's heavy lips as he looked over to find the Therapist still standing nearby. At the ready for another round of "Sedate the Unruly Patient".

"Glad to see your return to the world of the semi-sane, Mr. Leonhart," her pen clicked as she sat down at his bedside, "…I'm Dr. Taylor, the Psychotherapist for this Hospital and from what I've heard from your odd little family is that you have some deep rooted issues from your past…"

"From what I heard from your "Father"; it seems that you had it pretty rough before you came here, something about that you used to be a pretty big time warrior of sorts in your own World and like the others, you lost your World to the Darkness and Heartless…"

Leon could only sit and listen to her speculate as he simply nodded to her words.

So far, so good, "I'm not here to judge, I'm only here to find out what happened to you last night and possibly discover why you did what you did to yourself…I'll understand if you have your reasons, but, I only want to help, as do the other Doctors you may be speaking with shortly."

"…There was just nothing to left for. The only person I thought cared a damn about me decided to sugar coat it with a heavy layer of silver lining in a letter he left on my bedside to break up with me instead of facing me and telling me he wanted out, end of story," Leon bitterly spit out as he watched the Therapist scribbling some notes on her tablet, "Listen, can you just sign me off as just some angsting teenager that just decided that maybe experimenting with death would be fun and send me on my way with some happy pills and just some planned up Therapy sessions that I'll probably end up not going to and just become another statistic of teenage suicide?"

This was serious, "Mr. Leonhart," she began as she moved her glasses down her face as she began to speak seriously to Leon, "If I did that for every angsting suicide teenager that passed through these doors, I would've been out of a job after the first case of repeat offender. And I rather enjoy having a paycheck to cash and still be to eat everyday so I can die happily of either old age or in the arms of a man that comes my way to marry me and make me blissfully happy."

Leon could tell she wasn't going to let up, "I'm sorry, but just from what you said, I'm going to have to follow through with my orders to have you admitted to the Rehabilitation Center for further evaluation and watching."

"Wait," there was an air of panic in Leon's voice; he knew all too well what that place was, they were going to lock him away because they thought he was a harm to himself and possibly others and would possibly harm himself again, "…If I promise to not do it again and clean up my act, go to some counseling sessions and discuss and work it out with him, will you revoke those orders?"

"…I'm sorry, Mr. Leonhart, but as I said…If I let that happen with every case that came through here, I wouldn't be a Doctor still," her footsteps could be heard heading towards the room's door, "Your "Father" has already signed the papers and there is one stipulation to placing you in the Rehabilitation Center; if there is no significant change seen within the first week that you are within its walls, further time may be tacked on to your stay."

Betrayed.

Hurt.

Lost.

Unloved.

All of these feelings were coursing at a million miles per hour throughout his mind as he ground his teeth bitterly together and his fists clenched till his fingernails had almost gouged into the palm of his hands; tears slowly streaming. It was the same cycle. Betrayal by the ones he thought cared about him only to have it turn on him to where he ended up in a place worse then where he was, alone and frightened of someone else would further the punishment and pain. Hurt that no one was willing to hear him out and let him try and fix himself as he had time and time again had done without their interference, but even without their assistance and interference; he had ended up hurt. Lost was a feeling that he knew all the time. Lost in his thoughts, lost in the World, lost in a World that wasn't even his and no one he had known was here which made the feeling of being lost even worst. Unloved, a feeling he had known until Rinoa and then he had felt it again once she had left him to help assure the possible stop of the end of their World.

It was just happening all over again.

But in a different World and time and by different people's hands.

The Therapist's words of discussing the course of treatment seemed far off and distance to him; everything felt that way. A side effect of her sedative she had injected him with moments before he had come out of it and had to hear the verdict she was handing down now? No, it couldn't be a side effect, but then yet, it could've been, but why did it have to hurt so much?

* * *

"Excuse me, can you tell me where I can find a man by the name of Squall "Leon" Leonhart?" Cloud asked the lady at the Nurse's Station, "I'm hoping I can see him."

"I'm sorry sir, but only immediate family and unless you've got proof of relation to the patient, I can't permit you to see the patient," the Nurse simply turned from him as she went back to what she had been doing before Cloud had walked up.

He was losing his chance to see the man he had wronged, "Please, I just need to see him for five minutes…"

"Sir, I told you already…"

"I know you did, but please…this could be a matter of life and death!" Cloud slammed his hand on the counter.

"Sir, please calm down before I call Security," the fire in Cloud's eyes was not going to deter her from staring him down.

"I don't care if you call them! I just need to see my boyfriend before you assholes lock him up away from me!"

Aerith heard the sounds of an argument going on at the Nurse's Station as she wandered away from the dysfunctional family, "…Cloud."

"Aerith, please tell this kind woman that I just want to see Leon!" Cloud was shaking at this point as he saw Aerith walking up, "I just want to see him once before you guys send him away!"

"Sweetie, where do you come up with that idea?" Aerith could read the fright in Cloud's eyes, "Leon is just going to another Hospital for help…they can't cure him here, they need to take him to somewhere that can heal him to the Leon we all know and love…"

"BUT I WANT TO SEE HIM BEFORE THEY DO THAT! I NEED TO APOLOGIZE FOR DOING THIS TO HIM! I WANT HIM TO KNOW I STILL LOVE HIM IF HE DIES IN THAT PLACE!" Cloud's roaring screams filled the hall and was drawing attention to the others in the other rooms as they poked their heads out to see what was the cause of the commotion, "Please Aerith, please, please, make her let me see him…I can't leave here till I see hi---"

Security was on either side of a wheelchair that was moving, slowly down behind them; it was as if Leon was in mere slow motion with the Therapist at the side of it all. Leon was less of the man he was that the others knew as he was being wheeled out to the waiting car outside to drive him to the Rehabilitation Center; Tifa held onto an unconscious Yuffie while Vincent consoled his Mate. Not a single eye among the dysfunctional and disgruntled family was dry as they watched the broken man with the tear stained face that was Leon leaving them. Cloud all but howled out as he ran to catch the men, but Security had been put in place around Leon should something like this happen as the man was tackled to the floor. Mournfully, Griever, within Leon's mere soul was roaring, whining and crying for Leon to speak up and say something to Cloud; just watching another Guardian Force crying and nearly running over others to get him was tearing apart. Leon ignored all of his Guardian's pleas and cries of distress; if that was how it was going to be, Griever was going to go into submission and become a recluse; if Leon wanted him…He could deal without him. Fenrir was howling mournfully as it started to dig and paw at the walls of Cloud's very heart and soul, but when it saw that his Host was no longer fighting due to being injected into submission; it too recoil into seclusion and became a recluse.

"…Le…o…n…" the final words drifted from Cloud's lips as the sedative took hold and the lights of the stage of this tale of woe and drama blared in its brightest as the doors to Leon's exit for this act flowed in and then closed off of the stage as the lights closed off in Cloud's mind.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Still don't own the characters, Vincent Valentine is from FFVII; as always, any tunes used are copyrighted to their appropriate artists

* * *

Chapter 4-Without You

_But I know_

_Because I die without you…_

_I die without you…_

_Without You-lyrics by Jonathan Larson, from the musical RENT_

Without you, a simple enough term that could be said and used in a number of ways; without you in my life would be the best, without you would make this easier to be able to move on and make things better. Without you…I could…and would…die. Leon had assumed that role, without you; you life being Cloud, he would die, and Cloud, could he die without Leon? And could Leon die without Cloud? There was only way to find that answer out; it was slowly showing itself in Cloud, who had become a creature of habit. He had become that person after falling into a steady circle of creature after becoming enthralled with Leon. Leon may come off as slight OCD, but that was what made the man a different creature of habit compared to other creatures of habit. It was also what made Cloud interested to the level of pursuing Leon till the man had broken down, or all the formal barriers within the mind of the man had been broken down. Creature of habit have ways of hiding within their habits; Cloud was doing just that as he lay on the sofa of the family home, sedated and lost within his scattered thoughts and emotions over seeing Leon never once giving a singular gaze his way.

It threw the man into the thralls of the part of his mind to hide away.

Memories of how he had chased after Leon, time and time again when he was first pursuing him slowly were ebbing into his sleeping mind.

No one could see what he was doing.

Everyone was blind to it.

_~Flashback~_

_Leon had been enjoying some time off of working on restoring Hollow Bastion, especially since it seemed that small teems of Heartless that were within the old World were holding up in the Dark Depths Ravine. It meant that a slow ebbing of peace and relaxation could be felt and be allowed among the Restoration Committee; Yuffie had seemed to be letting up on bugging Leon too much, which for Leon, could mean many things. She was planning or she was just planning something that was going to involve Leon being the victim of her scheming; Aerith was working in her small garden that she had started to peak, Cid was being Cid, working on making an ancient computer they had managed to uncover within the restoration, Cloud was being…Cloud. A brooding ex-swordsman who had thoughts of latching on to the thing that has taken his interest as of late, but the thing he had interest in was unaware of the man's interest. Tifa had shown up shortly after finding her way to the World, only after receiving word that her friends had moved to Hollow Bastion from Traverse Town. And she had become a fast help for Aerith in the kitchen, all that was needed was for the long missed lover, Vincent Valentine that had taken to seeking refugee for a time after the Planet's destruction in Halloween Town. _

"_Hey Leon, can I ask you question?" Yuffie piped up as she popped up beside Leon's chair as the man sat, reading a book in the library by himself, "Have you ever thought of dating again?"_

_A stone cold stare was on the man's face, no flipping of pages could be heard, "Leon?"_

"…_My personal love life is my own business, not yours, Yuffie…"Leon seemed to growl as he fought to go back to his book, but Yuffie had his attention now and wasn't about to give up, "I know what you're doing, more or less, thinking, and the answer is 'No', Yuffie."_

"_Come on…Just one little date?" her pout was infamous, Cloud had almost sworn it could've, but nearly, rival that one of the one of his departed friend, Zack Fair's pout, and she was wearing it, "I'm sure you would enjoy going out on at least one date with either Tifa or Aerith…?"_

_The man rolled his eyes as he attempted to escape from the library, "Please, Leon…? Just give them one try…and if you don't like it, then I guess that'll prove my debate with Merlin."_

"…_What debate?" Leon spoke up as he stopped in his tracks, "Don't tell me you're debating over my personal life, again?"_

"_Promise you won't blow up at me when I tell you?" Yuffie's face turned to pure innocence as she waited for the man to answer her and hopefully without anger in his voice._

_A grumbling sigh came from Leon as he turned around, leaning in against the doorway with arms crossed across his chest, "You have ten seconds to explain yourself before I chase you out of here so I can relax in peace."_

"_We'redebatingonwhetherornotyoumaybebi-sexualoratbestgaybecauseyouneverwanttogooutwithanyofthegirlsandCloudhasbeen askingaboutyouandweallthinkyouwouldnevergiveintoCloud'sinterestinyouwouldyou?" Yuffie had all but tied herself into knots and covering her head, out of fear of Leon striking out at her or at least screaming at her for such a stupid debate topic, but when Leon didn't speak, "Uh…Leon? You going to say anything?"_

_A faint twitch could be seen in the man's eyebrow and a nervous twitch was developing in the grimace on the man's face, "Get out."_

"_What?"_

"_Get out. Now."_

"_Is that the 'Get out of here now, you're out of your mind' kind of 'Get out' or is that the…"Yuffie didn't get the chance to finish that sentence before a rumbling roar was heard from the Library and the others were put on alert, "LEON'S NOT IN A DEBATING MOOD RIGHT NOW!"_

_There had been a great chuckle earned after things had settled down and eventually, Leon had come around; thankfully, without the assistance of a pesky and yaoi indulged Ninja to help it along. _

Cloud couldn't have imagined life without Leon after that day; especially after, _innocently_ cornering the brunet, calling him out on his outburst to earn an answer to Yuffie's question. Leon had and did not want any point to come out to anyone, especially the ex-swordsman that he had been hiding it from his closest friends and even the one woman he had been dating before his World's destruction that he had been eying guys while dating her. He hadn't been sure how anyone would've taken to the man's interest in both sexes, especially since Leon had buried his interest in Cloud after the man's first attempt to get close to him after he had been introduced to the blond. The man all but shown his full interest in the man in the way the man's eyes had eyed him up and down as he shook his head during introductions. Even now, he didn't have any of that.

Not even a simple passing glance of the brunet's simple smile.

That was gone.

Leon was gone.

No more Leon.

No more…

"…Leon…Leon…" the man was lost in the haze that the sedative he had been given at the Hospital to keep him from attacking Leon, "…Leon…Sorry Leon…Sorry…Forgive me, Leon…"

Aerith and the others were at a loss for what to do for the man as they sat in the kitchen, pondering what to do for the man for the last hour, watching Cloud moan in his sleep. It killed them to watch the man in the thralls of pain over the loss of the only thing that was keeping the man within the limits of sanity. Memories of the take down of Cloud in the Hospital as he had charged after Leon had brought on nightmares for everyone; no one had taken in the thought of sleeping that night. The mere nightmares it was going to bring on would've been enough to keep anyone awake long into the morning hours; Cloud had taken off after Leon as he was being wheeled out of the Hospital. Tifa had attempted to tackle the man to the floor while Aerith watched on in horror as she waited for Cid or Vincent to make a move on the man. Luckily, it didn't need Tifa's assistance to stop Cloud; Security had been placed around Leon's chair to assure that things such as Cloud's actions were prevented. Cloud's body language told it all as the man was pinned to the floor as the Male Nurse that had been talking to Leon's Therapist's injected Cloud with a sedative.

_~Hospital Flashback~_

"…_Night, night, blondie…sorry about that man, but, can't have you harming an already fragile man…" the man picked himself up off Cloud as the Guards kept their hold on Cloud till they were sure that the sedative had taken its hold on the man, "If you want, I'll be more then happy to help carry your friend here home for you…"_

_Vincent stepped forward, unlatching himself from the grip Cid had taken to holding on the man's arm as his arms slipped under Cloud's limp form, "Let's go home…before we have to admit Cloud for the same thing or worse."_

_~End of Hospital Flash back~_

_

* * *

  
_

Two family members had fallen into a state of cold to the world, one was passed out from mere exhaustion of emotions of the stressful situation and the other, the other was out due to use of unnatural causes. The second had been put out cold by a sedative, while a third, was committed to a Rehab center for the next week; hopefully, it would help the man.

Life was perfect.

_Tch, yeah right._

"…How long did they say he was going to have stay at the Center?" Tifa spoke up as Cid kept his face buried in his hands with Vincent rubbing the man's back to soothe out the man's upset mood, "Did they give you any idea how long they're keeping him, Cid?"

Aerith kept her eyes turned towards the soup that was cooking in the pot in front of her, "Tifa, can you check on Cloud, make sure he's still breathing? I don't want a death in the family…"

The woman nodded as she moved to check on Cloud, "Doc said they're gonna keep the kid at the Center for about a week; if he doesn't start to show a change for the better by the end of the week, they may keep him longer and do some harsh therapy…" Cid sighed as he ran his hands over his face, "I don't know how the kid is gonna survive in a place like that."

"Leon is a strong young man, he'll pull through…"Aerith spoke up as she turned about with the pot in her hands, "…Dinner anyone?"

* * *

Four days.

Four long days.

Four long exhausting days.

It had been four days since Leon had been admitted to the Rehab Center and not once had he attempted to speak to anyone; he had given up trying to speak to his Therapist. _She _was the reason he was here, _she _was the reason why he was away from his friends and family, _she _was the one that had told him that he was to be a virtual prisoner in this personal Hell. _She _was also the reason he had broken into an emotional mess which had pushed it for him to be admitted to this place; a place that he had no reason being here. Within the earliest moments of being admitted to the Center; he had given into his own reasoning; he wasn't meant to be here, that was it, but if that was the reasoning and truth, then why was he still here? What sane person was going to put up with listening to an insane man ramble on about how he destroyed his life, sent his dysfunctional family into a tailspin, and all but destroyed his relationship with the only man in his life? Short of losing a sane man's sanity, no one was going to step up to the plate and take that bullet, at least, the woman who had been assigned to be Leon's therapist was at best willing and able to, but it was up to Leon to make the first step forward.

He had to be the one to want to talk about things.

"Leon?" her voice was heard close to his field of hearing, but he had played this game with her since Day 1, "I know you can hear me, Mr. Leonhart."

Nothing.

With a soft sigh and a push of her glasses further up her face, "You're family has been asking about you; they would like to come see you, but I've told them until you start to talk and open up a little, I can't allow you any visitors."

A faint shrug came from Leon as he fought to hide his eyes from her with his bangs, but her gentle fingers brushed against his face, "…Don't."

"Well, that is some progress…" a soft smile came on her face as she watched him faintly blush, "For a man of few words, your body language sure talks loudly."

Another faint shrug of the man's shoulders, "So."

"A person's body language can tell a lot about how they're truly feeling without so many words being spoken and…"slowly, she leaned forward to look into his face from the side, "…It says a lot about a person; you're a very quiet, reserved young man, you enjoy your alone time and times when you can have time to yourself, but then there are times when…"

"…I'm that way because…it's been with me for as long as I can remember…"

A spark seemed to be brewing and growing in the moment of Leon seeming to speak more then just singular words, "Care to talk about it?"

"…Can we do it in private?" Leon seemed to look about the room, making sure that no one could see or hear him, "It's kind of a personal thing…"

"Of course," the therapist's smile was true and honest as she took Leon by the arm, guiding him towards a private room, "From what I heard from your "Father"; you aren't from this World and had some problems adjusting to this World, what was your World like before you came here?"

A soft sigh came from Leon as he closed his eyes in soft remembrance; he could almost see every square inch of Balamb Garden, the pristine halls that had been the home of several sounds of footsteps, snapping fingers of finding out they hadn't made into SEED, to the laughter that had filled them. Smells were still lingering as if they had not disappeared with the utter destruction of the Planet; everything had its still pristine gleam and colors. Classrooms were holding sessions of class, students were fidgeting in their seats and some were at best attempting to keep their attention locked on their Teacher and the lesson upon the board. Then the memory turned almost nostalgic as sniffling chuckle could be heard from Leon's lips as soft tears started to creep out from the corners of his closed eyes. It was almost too much to see the place he had called home most of his SEED life, but as the memory faded from the sight of him looking to the desks of his friends, even the ones that weren't in attendance to the School or Classes. The memories faded out to an open field where standing in front of him was a mere flashback in his old man's memories, the image of the woman who would be his Mother watching in utter amusement of his Father falling all over himself. A simple look of wonderment was on the woman's face as she chased slowly after the man till her eyes became a look of puzzlement and shock as she found pure joy in the presence of the man.

It was then, that the memory started to crumble like Leon, "…I think we've touched on it enough for today," the Therapist's voice seemed to draw Leon from the nostalgia as his tear filled eyes opened upon her face; he could not see in her face the face he had before, "Come on…I'll help you back to your room…"

With a soft nod, Leon came without hesitation and without problems as let his long bangs hide his crying face from the others in the room, but they were all focused in on their own problems for being here. He could hear the soft scuffling of his feet against the floor as the sounds of doors opening, muffled conversations, hushed tones being spoken; they were all he could hear. Reality was sinking in, all that he had remembered, could not be here; the pain he had felt of rejection, abandonment and every singular emotion that had controlled his life since his first bout with rejection…it couldn't hurt him now.

It was all in his head.

It was a demon.

Torturing his very soul.

The only thing left to do was…

"…I'll be by to check on you later, Leon," the woman whispered carefully against his ear as he simply nodded, taking to standing in the middle of the simple and singular room.

* * *

For almost the first time in the four days he had been here; Griever had found reason to slip forward, wrapping his muscle built form around the man's heart, giving strength to it; softly nuzzling at it and the man, _"Proud Prince going to be alright? Need the Wild Wolf?"_

Like he had done with the Therapist; he simply shook his head, "…No, I'll be alright…just tired."

"_Then sleep Proud Prince…Sleep…come the morn…Sisters come to see you…I know this because I've spoken with one Sister who has great Healing powers…that Sister will be a great healer for you…"_

"…Aerith," Leon whispered under his breath as he crawled into the bed; eyes growing heavy, "…And…Tifa…and Yuffie…"

Griever purred to himself as he nestled close to the man's heart; a goofy grin spreading along its furry lips_, "Yes…Love little Sister, as crazy as she is, this one still loves little Sister…Now, rest."_

_

* * *

  
_

"Patient Leonhart seems to slowly be coming around, but I feel that there is still a more complicated reason as to why he proceeded with the act that he had done to present himself here," a pencil scratched across the notepad as the Therapist tiredly pushed her glasses up her face, "…I didn't mean for us to reappear in your life like this, Squall…only a small portion of ourselves are in these people you've seen, but what was then…can't be here now."

A pair of hands slipped onto her shoulders as a set of lips brushed against her cheek, "Squall was always a smart kid, even when he wasn't out on Missions…This was just a speed bump we didn't expect, but I'm sure he'll pull through; he always did."

"I hope you're right, Irvine…" the Therapist spoke up to the man whose badge read "Aaron", "I truly hope you're right."

* * *

Dinner had been quiet, no one had spoken throughout most of the meal; most of the time, the dinner table at the Committee House was usually lively and vibrant filled with various acts that resorted in someone facing some kind of strange consequence by the end of the meal. Sometimes, the meal would become part of the act; then there were times that a player would leave before the meal was served because of a bad combination relationship with another player. That part was usually reserved for the odd lovers; Cloud and Leon, Leon wanted to just sit at the table, eat his dinner and go home to possibly draw up a bath and then lay in bed next to Cloud. Simply cuddling until sleep overtook one or both of them, but Cloud usually ruined that daydream with a simple, "accidental" slip of the hand that sometimes caught Leon unawares till he was almost groaning to near moaning at the dinner table. There had been a couple of times that Aerith had caught Cloud at play with Leon; one night in particular had been when Leon hadn't been looking due to his eyes were diverted towards trying to stay awake at the table. Cloud had all but gotten his hand down the man's pants and nearly on something between the man's thighs when Yuffie bumped "accidentally" into Cloud. Unfortunately for Yuffie, Cloud had been _enjoying _trying to give his half asleep on his feet boyfriend head under the table and she had gone and ruined that.

A flurry of noise and turned over chairs mixed in with a softly snoring Leon at the table had erupted from the mess when Yuffie had called Cloud out on his hand down Leon's pants. An image everyone wanted to avoid at dinner and a dinner topic that was _not _needed or wished to be the topic of discussion that evening. Aerith had taken pity on Leon by asking for Tifa to help the man to the Guest Room where Leon tended to frequent whenever he and Cloud had fights or when the blond would be gone on long distance delivery/mercenary missions. Cloud had been roped in by a less then appeased and pleased Cid and was given a stern almost three hour lecture about Dinner Table Manners which Vincent had been agreeing on till Cid had started to give the man tips on how to assure to not get caught ever again. That's when Vincent had stepped in and ushered Cloud out with the quickly spoken miniature lecture of that his lover/boyfriend was not a main course to be eaten alone in front of your family. If he wanted to do that kind of thing, do it in private; that was before Cid screamed out from the room as the sounds of a chair was breaking and the screams were replaced moaning screams.

Who they belonged to?

No one was about to ponder on that one.

Tonight.

It was quiet and no one had bothered to stir Cloud awake from the sofa, but Yuffie had been helped out to the Dinner table; her face was tear stained, long after sleeping off her passed out state. She wasn't her usually jubilant self. As cliché as it may have sounded and probably distasteful towards Vincent, the house and dinner table were as quiet as the grave; with the exception of silverware scraping now and again against the dishes.

Cid sighed as he had for the last five to ten minutes, Tifa seemed to pick at her meal, Yuffie seemed to be having a staring match with hers, Aerith was happily eating it; hiding her heartbreak while Vincent seemed to stare out over the family, "We're still a family even if we aren't all together right now…Our family is strong, nothing can change that. Leon is strong. Have faith, children."

"…Leon…"the group's eyes turned to Yuffie, but when they saw she had begun to eat out of hunger; it was figured that it hadn't been her as their eyes drifted to Cloud, "…Want Leon…"

The man had crawled onto the window seat of the bay window that had been built into the main window of the Living Room area of the Committee House; it was sad to watch, the man was merely pawing at the bay window. Eyes staring out at the twilight that had fallen on the dusk colored town, a sob sound could be heard in his voice, each time his fingertips pads pawed at the glass. He had become a sad puppy, waiting for its Master to come home and love on it and tell it that it was still wanted and loved by its Master. Cloud was a sad kicked puppy and the tears softly running down his face showed it to those who were watching on with heartbreaking glances.

"Want Leon…When Leon coming home? When is he coming home?" Aerith couldn't bare to hear the man talking like a lost child as she pushed away from the table and sat beside him on the window seat, embracing him, "Sister Aerith…when Leon coming home…? I can't feel him here…"

She watched him nearly begging with his eyes to find the answer he could seek in her forlorn gaze, "Leon's just on a trip…he'll come home soon then you can fell him here again…"

Cloud shook his head; he knew that Leon would return to the home and home would slowly pick up the shattered pieces Leon had created in it, his hand curled around her fingers as he pulled her hand to his chest, "…I don't feel him here…It hurt…Make it stop hurting…"

"I wish I could, honey…but, it's up to Leon to make it stop hurting and you've got to be willing to work with him to make the pain stop," Aerith couldn't look into his eyes as she ran her free hand up his face, tracing the tear stained marks on his face, "It takes one person to cause the pain and another to make it stop…what do you want to be?"

"…I want to be the one to make it stop…"Cloud whispered with a shuttering breath as his hand clutched tighter to her hand upon his chest, "Never want to hurt Leon again…"

Yuffie's hand clutched around the fork in her hand as she slowly turned in her seat, tossing it in Cloud's general direction as it fell short of the man's form, "YOU SHOULD'VE THOUGHT OF THAT BEFORE YOU WROTE THAT STUPID LINE IN YOUR NOTE TO HIM BEFORE YOU LEFT FOR THAT MERCENARY JOB! YOU CAN'T EVER MAKE THE PAIN STOP! YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO HURT HIM! HE'S FRAGILE! EASILY BROKEN AND HURT! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT COMPASSION FOR HIM, CLOUD!" Tifa watched on from her downcast gaze at her plate as Cid and Vincent let Yuffie continue her tirade, "YOU HURT HIM THE FIRST TIME YOU DECIDED TO MAKE LOVE TO HIM! HE'S TOLD ME THE STUFF YOU'VE DONE TO HIM! HE MAY TAKE IT ALL IN STRIDE, BUT HE FEELS HURT WHEN YOU LEAVE! HE HAD PLANNED TO DO THIS LONG BEFORE YOU CAME BACK…you gave him the tools to his destruction…I hope you're happy…"

"Yuffie…"Aerith cooed softly as she watched the Ninja draw her knees to her chest at the table, "…She is kind of right, Cloud…you never were that gentle with him or kindest…"

Cloud could feel that all the daggers were being pointed at him, "…That's enough, it's been a hard week so far, and this isn't helping anyone," Vincent spoke up as he lightly shook at Tifa; she slowly started picking up the dishes, "Rest is best for all of us, hopefully in the morning, things will look better."

* * *

Cid nodded at that as he started to feel his phone vibrating in his pocket, "You heard the man, get yourselves up to bed for now," as he saw the caller I.D. he pulled Vincent aside, whispering in his ear that he would be in bed later; he had to take the call regarding Leon, "…I'll give you the verdict once the kids are asleep…"

"Alright my Captain," Vincent softly kissed the man as Cid strode quickly outside from prying ears as he took the call, "Hello?"

The therapist wasn't expecting to hear from Cid by this time, "Mr. Highwind, I assume?"

"Yeah, what's up?" Cid gruffly spoke as he searched for a cigarette, "How's my "son" doing?"

"That's why I was calling," she leaned back in her chair, "How do you feel about coming out and seeing him tomorrow?"

Cid nearly dropped the cigarette and lighter at that question, "W-What?"

"I managed to get him to open up a little, but I still want to keep him here till the end of the week and then I'm going to suggest that he possibly take it easy for a couple of weeks; with what he did to himself to land in the Hospital that night is a stressful topic and issue," she paused as she rubbed at her tired eyes, "If he goes anywhere outside of Radiant Garden, like to another World, I want him to be with an escort he can trust just to keep an eye on him…"

"Of course…Yeah…Alright," Cid started to agree with the woman's words as he listened to her talk about Leon's condition and the condition of them visiting him tomorrow, "…I've got to make a short run out to Traverse town for a about a week or so and then part of another week in succession off in Port Royal; got to pop in on some friends, and I guess I can take Leon along."

A soft sigh of relief came from the Therapist as she leaned forward on her elbows, "That sounds like a wonderful idea, but, what of the man who attempted to attack him at the Hospital when we were taking him to the Center?"

Cid dragged a weary hand down his face, "He'll probably go find something to do since he's been acting kind off kilter since the kid got placed in the Center and as far as we can tell, even without Leon home; he's probably going to give the kid some breathing room for a while…"

"I understand, well; then I guess I'll see you tomorrow afternoon?"

Cid nodded his head, "Sure thing…"

"Good night, Mr. Highwind."

"Night."

With a clap of his phone closing and then pocketed into his pocket, Cid made his way back into the house; reaching towards his bedroom, locking it behind him and crawling into with Vincent, "What's the word on Leon?" Vincent murmured as he nuzzled his head up under Cid's chin.

"We can go see him tomorrow, but for the next two weeks I'm taking him with me on my run to Traverse Town and Port Royal," Cid sighed as he ran his tired hand down his face, "The therapist figures it'll be a nice break for Leon since he's probably not going to be functional around here for a while and with Cloud here, I don't know how the kid will adjust."

Vincent's human hand's fingers began to trace softly against the man's chest, "You know what's best for our son…I know that you know what's best for people at times my Captain…just bring him back with some token of the man our family remembers…"

Cid chuckled to himself, "I'll try, Vince, but I'm not promising any miracles," his coarse lips found the top of the man's head, "Now, I just want to sleep…going to go see our kid tomorrow in the whacko basket."

As the house began to settle, there was as it would've seemed not a mouse stirring about the house, save for a blond haired one that had propped itself up against Cid and Vincent's bedroom door. Cloud had enhanced hearing from the Mako that was in blood from his time as a "SOLDIER"; he had heard everything, but he wasn't low enough to go and follow the family to the Center tomorrow to visit his lover, if Leon would still have him. No, he had another way. He would travel to the Worlds that Leon would be going to as side trips from his Delivery Route while Cid was to be away in hopes of spotting Leon when he could.

"…Keep him safe, Cid…I will do what I can to find a way to fix this broken mess…Leon…please…wait for me…"Cloud whispered into the shadows as he slowly slipped to his room; sleep was null and void for him, he hadn't found a reason to sleep, not even now, knowing that it his bed was cold without the man.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Still the same as it was in Chapter 1

* * *

AN: *bows till face is almost buried into the ground* I'm a total idiot. I'll admit it RIGHT NOW. I was going through my Gallery on DeviantART to see if I did INDEED write up till about Chapter 5, more or less, had it posted this far. To this point before my laptop had its semi crash moment about a month and half ago and had to be restored. THANKFULLY, I'm an avid DA Deviant so I went through and when I thought I had mislabeled the Chapters when ripping them from there to Word to post 'em here...I found out in the Title Editing Process on this Chapter over there that I had INDEED posted this chapter correctly! So...for those you who may be reading this, HERE is Chapter 5. Now its a case of me re-reading it over to get my bearings on it, yet again, so that when the free time finds me, to work on the other chapters...since I had intentionally meant in a way to make Leon almost lose it again after a run in w/Cloud to then almost have him being physically, in a sort of...want go into, kind of way at one of his stops w/Cid. But I may end up changing that so that I don't drive our favorite little Lion into the Nut House forever and make Cloud turn into a feral animal that can only speak in almost Caveman talk.

Once again, I humbly apologize for not realizing I had this chapter already up on another source to post it here ^^; And once again, any songs used are copyrighted to their Artist that it is sung by as well as the hard working song writer who wrote the lyrics. If you aren't familiar with the movie this song is from, then...you aren't young enough to have remember the Don Bluth Pictures Film: All Dogs Go To Heaven. That even in this day and age, I hardly watch due to some of the later content involving the lead character in it having a nightmare of ending up in Hell due to being told since he left Heaven once against the words of the "Head Angel" as it may seem...Don't ask what it's about, just YouTube Search it...watch it, then you'll understand what I mean. ENOUGH DRABBLE FROM ME! ON TO READING YOU!

Oh yeah, Vincent Valentine is from FFVII and all other FFVIII mentioned characters are from FFVIII

* * *

Chapter 5-Soon you'll come Home

_Soon you'll come home…  
Home to my heart…  
Soon you'll come home…  
Home to my…heart…  
…If I believe…  
Lyrics from 'Soon you'll Come Home' from the Motion Picture 'All Dogs Go To Heaven'_

For the first time since Leon had come to the Center; he had found reason to sleep, even after the tearful memory draw up during his talk with his Therapist the day before. It felt good to close tired eyes and just sleep, maybe even dream. Maybe his mind was as tired as he thought it was as he found himself waking up to the feeling of cold steel behind him. Either he had been beamed up and was facing probing or he was in a place he never wanted to be again, the Western Plain Prison. The one place he never wanted to see the inside of again especially since he had had nightmares of that place and what had happened to him in that place. Seifer had had too much fun torturing him as electricity coursed through his body to attempt to coerce information out of Leon, then Squall, as to what SeeD was _truly_ about and what it stood for. Even now in his dreams; he had hoped that wasn't where he was now but no matter which way he turned his head; he found that was where he was.

_"NO! NO! LET ME OUT OF HERE! I DON'T WANT TO BE HERE! LET ME DOWN!" Squall screamed as his eyes panicked to find someone to hear him, but all he felt was the coursing of electricity through his body as he woke up screaming._

_"Leon….Leon! Wake up! Wake up! Son, you have to wake up!"_

"Leon! Leon! Wake up! You're having a nightmare!" a familiar voice with the mixture of a rough hand on his shoulders started to stir the man as he came up swinging but the person responsible knew better then to let that happen, "Oh, hold up there, son, don't need to come swinging up at the Captain…I'm not going to hurt you…"

Leon started to slowly come around till his teary eyed eyes came upon Cid and his Therapist standing at the ready to subdue him should he turn violent, "…I'm sorry….sorry…" the man pulled away as he turned to showing his back to the duo; he never wanted anyone to see him cry, not ever.

He had come to a thought that he had lost the ability to cry over the smallest things after he had lost Rinoa and his world, maybe even the ability to cry, but when he had lost it when Yuffie had tumbled like Selphie the one time. That theory had been disproved, but he couldn't hide himself from the world as he felt Cid's cautious hand run down the back of his scalp. Feeling the bed shift as he felt the man sit on the edge of his bed and began to speak to him; all he wanted to do was lie there and just listen.

"The Doc says it would probably best for you to be here the next couple of days and then on the last day; I'm coming to spring you, but I can't take you home just yet," Cid sighed as he tried to find a way to break it to Leon that home at the moment, may not be the best environment; not there is anything seriously wrong with it. It was just, a particular _someone_ was not the best influence for the man right now, "I've got to run to Traverse Town for a week to go and check in on some things that we left going when we moved here to Radiant Garden, then I've got to pop on over to Port Royal."

Leon cringed at the mention of Port Royal; he was more afraid of the reason. But Cid's voice chuckled as he patted the man's head, "Don't go away there in your head of yours, I'm not mad about the rum you drank with those pills; heck, probably best that I didn't get my lips around that bottle's head, probably would've drank myself silly and then Vince would never let me hear the end of it," Cid could slowly see Leon coming about as the man's blue grey eyes began to make their way to look Cid in the face, "I was thinking you could use the vacation and I know that Mrs. Turner has been dying to meet you; you've always been tied up with Restoration that she's hardly had a chance to meet you. I've done nothing but rave about you to her and that husband of hers, what you say, Leon? You up for a little road trip?"

"…As long as I get to drive now and again or at least pick out the music for the long travel…"Leon greeted the man with a faint smile.

Cid and the Therapist shared a chuckle as Leon seemed to make a full 180 turn as he sat up on the bed, Indian style, "And I think we can call that progress?"

"…So, what have I missed at home?" Leon spoke up as a small spark started to greet into the man's blue grey eyes.

"Well, where to start?" Cid nervously chuckled as he scratched the back of his head.

~XXX~

It had seemed like hours had passed, maybe even a whole day as Cid gave Leon the run down; keeping to not mention how Cloud was doing; he would only do it if the man inquired about the blond swordsman. There seemed to be not questioning about the man or his well being, who could blame him? Cloud had all but signed the man's death warrant that time, but the reason why Leon would go as far as he had this time was beyond him. They all had a vague idea that Leon had tended to be closed jawed about his past, especially his youth. But he would compensate for it all by hiding behind a façade face that he was doing alright without the person when inside, he was crying, screaming, clawing to find a way to find out why it was happening. Leon seemed like he would cry when Cid talked about Yuffie and what had become of her when word had been given that Leon was going to be stuck in the Center; hearing that she had fainted dead away broke his heart.

"…About Cloud…I…He…I know I would hate me if I did what I did to Cloud…"Leon let his long bangs hang over his hung down face, "…He may not think that I didn't hear him in the Hospital, but I did…I wanted to just jump out of that chair and run into his arms; beg him to forgive me for being so stupid, or at least punish me for being stupid, but my body…"

"My body wouldn't move; it was like some other part of my mind was telling me to tell Cloud to 'Fuck off and die'…I didn't want to do that to him, Cid…Do you think he'll ever forgive me?" Leon looked to the man with a look that said, 'Help me…I don't want to be alone after this…'

Cid scratched the back of his head as he heavily sighed, "Don't know, kid, up to the Chocobo head to make that call…Known the guy since joining up with his rag tag group of misfit AVALANCHE members; knew he was screwy in the head from all the Mako in his blood and all that song and dance, but…I don't think he purposely did this to you. I guess…you had just reached some breaking point and that letter just pushed you to it."

"…I really am stupid…stupid enough to believe something more then what someone says or writes…"Leon began to grind his teeth which to Cid meant that the Lion was coming forward; the very sad and 'its all my fault' Lion that had lead to Leon nearly killing himself, "I shouldn't have lived back then…I shouldn't be alive…I'm a waste of space…"

"Don't you go talking that nonsense again…so help me, Leon, I will slap you around myself, Hell, I'll even let them commit your ass to this place on a permanent basis at this point," Cid growled at the man who had turned to an almost on his knees pleading man in front of him, "I won't have any of that stupid talk on my Gummi Ship when I come to get you in a couple of days. If you aren't better, all smiles or at least the kind of Leon we're all use to by the time we come home from the two week trip I'm taking you on…I'll…I'll…"

"…You'll commit me to this place. Won't you?" Leon whispered under his breath as his hands clutched the bed sheets on either side of his sides on the edge of the bed, "Lock me away like an animal and forget about me?"

Cid hated to admit but, "If that's what it'll take to make you well, then yes…yes I would do it."

~XXX~

"Mr. Highwind, something happen while you were visiting?" the Therapist inquired of Cid as she watched him walking for the front door of the Facility, "Mr. Highwind?"

Cid stopped midway in his tracks, "I gave him an ultimatum; either straighten up and fly right in two weeks with me, or find himself straightening up in a straight jacket in this whacko basket…"

As cruel and unusual as it sounded; she knew that Leon was going to be a hard case to crack and fix, but if his "Father" felt that some form of his own treatment to fix the mismatched minded youth would work, well, then there was no stopping him, "…I wish you much luck with helping him, Mr. Highwind…Leon is a lucky young man to have a man like you for his Father to straighten his scattered mind out…"

"Tch, believe me, if I can find some way to straighten out the one who screwed him up in the first place, I know sure as I stand here I can do it for the boy too…"Cid grinned from ear to ear as he gave the woman a simple salute before walking outside to call home, "Hey Vince, yeah…its me…Heh, it seems I've got my hands full with the case of Leon…How's the Chocobo head holding up?...Still looking for Leon?"

Cid turned around to look towards Leon who was sitting not far from him in the Recreation Room as Cid looked at him through glass, "…I hate doing this to the kid, you know, taking his Mate, as he put it, and keeping him away for the next couple of weeks…The Therapist said to let Leon stay here the next couple of days then I'm coming to take him with me on my two week trip…I want to bring him by the house to say his goodbyes before I take him away, but at the same point…Heh…I know, Vince."

"I want to do that, but I'm afraid how Strife is going to react, especially Leon," Cid drew a tired hand against his face, "Tell the girls to come and see Leon before the end of the week…Just don't let Strife know about it…I don't want to get a call that all of Leon's therapy is ruined from seeing Cloud…"

Vincent sighed as he hung up the phone, "How long have you been there, Cloud?" the man's soft crimson eyes fell upon Cloud's gaze, "I know you want Leon but you need to give the Lion some time…"

"Want Leon home…its cold at night without him…If I don't have him, I don't know if I can keep my mind sane while he's gone…and you know what I can become without Leon around, Vincent, much like you become when you don't have Cid for a long time…"Cloud seemed to be trying to reason with the man to at least try and reason with the Captain to let the man see Leon before he lost him for what may seem forever.

Vincent harrumphed as he walked to the Living Room to address the girls, "Not happening, Cloud…the Captain knows what is best for the Lion and you can not get to me through such words…"

~XXX~

Aerith placed her book aside as Tifa and Yuffie looked up from what they were doing on the floor as they heard Vincent walk in, "What's the verdict on our wayward Lion, Vincent?" Tifa spoke up as she placed a hand on Yuffie's shoulder to keep her grounded should something shake her the wrong way, "Is Leon coming home soon?"

"That's what Cid was calling about…They're keeping Leon the next two days and then Cid plans to take Leon on the road with him since he's got to make some runs for the next two weeks," Vincent ran a hand through his long black locks as he pondered how to break it to the girls, especially with a questionable Cloud hanging back in the hall, "He may or may not stay the night before he has to head out for his runs, but no matter what happens…I suggest that we give Leon some space and not bring up what sent him into that place. He'll feel bad enough about it without being bombarded with questions about it."

Yuffie sighed as Tifa shifted up onto her feet to go about making dinner, "…Did Cid say how Leon looked?"

"He didn't give any specifics, all he could say was that…he wasn't too sure about Leon being here with Cloud around…he thinks that Leon may become skittish and try something stupid," Vincent gazed towards a leery eying Cloud as if the man was incapable of not pouting like a small child; he could be good…for a little while.

"All that matters is he is getting well," Aerith spoke up with a cheery voice, "That's what we have hoped for and that's what is happening…"

Vincent couldn't help but chuckle, if there wasn't anything Aerith couldn't do then the skies above would all but fall apart. She seemed to have a special gift for knowing things about people and things before anyone else. Everyone had their own theories about what why she was able to know things but there was only one thing that was known. It was that she was from an ancient race that had a gift endowed to them from the Planet. When Leon had fallen into the families' crazy nest of characters; she had been the first to know he was coming and the first to make a nesting in a way for the man for when he fell into their World. She had been the one to find the man when he had stumbled into their crazy little home and attend to the man's questions and other oddities. And she had also been the one to assure him that when Cloud began to make the man uncomfortable to shoo Cloud away. She had also told the man that Leon wasn't ready for such contact, but no matter how many times she had shooed Cloud away; he would find reason or way to go to Leon's side while he had recuperated. There was countless times she had found Cloud's head resting on the man's bedside edge like a lost dog that had taking to lying its head on its Master's bedside to wait for its Master to wake up. Each time she would find him there, she couldn't do more then just shake her head and watch the man as he took watch over Leon. The first time Leon had moved, she had to stifle her laughter as she watched Cloud jump at the sight of Leon's movement, but as Leon had finally come to; Cloud had taken to moving out of the room and keeping his distance.

She didn't understand it then, but at that moment, Cloud had taken it into his own mental banks to be the one watch over and guard Leon; no one was going to get closer to the man. This in her mind told her that Cloud had in his own weird mental way had branded Leon as not only fragile, something or someone to watch over and care for, but someone that he would hold higher then just a typical comrade.  
Leon from the start was always marked as a future Mate for Cloud.

As the others started to make their way to the kitchen for dinner, Aerith seemed to focus her attention in on Cloud, "Cloud, can I talk to you for a moment?"

~XXX~

"Patient Leonhart has a day or two left with us and from the session the day before it has been showing that he wants to be helped, but he isn't sure how to ask for the assistance. There is some slight hesitation on wanting to touch on his past, but in today's session the topic will be presented to Patient Leonhart; if he wishes to open up on the topic, there is still a chance to help the man. If he wishes to not speak about it, then…" the Therapist sighed as she pushed away the writing tablet as her fingers toyed with the patient file that had been compiled for Leon, "…I know what it is that makes you fearful of getting close to others…it's your fear of being abandoned…"

With a soft sigh, the woman pushed her glasses off her face as she looked over Leon's file, "You were doing so well when Rinoa was around…what happened to you, Squall…when did you change?"  
~XXX~

Leon sat in the Recreation Room of the Center watching the others playing cards, reading, or watching television; he didn't feel like he belonged among the various characters in the Center. All he wanted to do was retreat into his thoughts, but something was nagging at him to stay in the open and just watch the world go by. There would be something that would come around to entertain him or spark his interest. Everything seemed to be distant to him as his eyes gazed out over the room, but a soft nudge to his hand seemed to stir him as he found himself standing amidst a field of flowers. The same ones he had pointed out to Rinoa of where to look for him, should they get separated in their final showdown in the Sorceress War. But this time, she wasn't standing among them; another person had that place among the flowers.

_"Hello little Brother," Aerith had somehow found a way to enter his wandering thoughts, "How have you been?"_

_Leon sighed as he shook his head, "I could say I'm alright, but I guess I can't when I'm locked up into some almost asylum…"_

_Aerith softly chuckled to herself as she moved towards Leon, placing a hand upon the man's cheek and then moving it against his forehead, "You don't seem sick, no thoughts of harm…but you are sick in one way…"_

_"Sick in what way?" a look of confusion crossed against Leon's face as his brows furrowed together._

_"You're sick of feeling of helpless, that you aren't wanted or needed, that everyone you meet is just going to leave you alone and scared without a word as to why they left…Cloud doesn't want to leave you; he loves you more then you think…"Aerith's face beamed as a figure form of Cloud appeared behind Leon; his long arms wrapping around Leon's middle._

This had to be a dream; he had to been dreaming while on his feet, this wasn't real, Cloud didn't care about him, he only saw him as a way to get over his frustrations of having to be some delivery boy or the World's beck and call warrior at the ready. If that was so, then why did it feel as if he could feel everything Cloud could never express with words flowing into him like a steady stream of warmth? Tears were starting to sting at Leon's eyes as he brought his hands up to hide his face away from Aerith. He thought that letting others see him crying was a sign of weakness. Even as he attempted to hide his face away, Cloud's hands managed to slid up Leon's arms and twine his fingers in an interlocking fashion with Leon's hiding fingers. Pulling the hands away till he managed to in almost fluid motion, move Leon around to face him, face to face.

_"…Come home soon, Leon…because I know…soon you'll come home…I need you home, because…I don't know where it is without you here to show me the way home…aren't you my home, Leon?" Cloud's face seemed to take on a crestfallen youthful look that made Leon want to sob all over again which he did as a soft kiss was brushed against his cheek._

Aerith patted Leon's shoulder as she began to fade away and Cloud's faint, never shown to anyone but Leon, smile seemed to fade out as he did; leaving Leon to stand alone in the middle of the room. Crying. No one else seemed to pay attention to the sobbing Lion in the middle of the Recreation Room, not even Security seemed to see him except for his Therapist that walked up to him, brushing her hand up and down the man's back.

"Leon…you okay?" her voice was soft as she almost gasped as Leon threw himself onto the woman; burying his face in her shoulder, "…Want to talk about it?"

She could feel his head nodding up and down against her shoulder as she moved them to a nearby sofa, "What's wrong, Leon…you seemed somewhat happy earlier and now, you're in tears…what happened?"

"When I was little, I was living in an Orphanage run by a woman that was almost like a Mother to me; I grew up with a lot of other kids that I didn't know where to be my future companions…even one girl that I regarded as my Sister…she protected me and had promised me that she would never leave…"

The woman nudged his shoulder.

"Her name was Ellone, she left one day without warning or word…she just…left…I kept reminding myself, 'I'm alright, I'm doing fine without you…' it seemed to work, even when I became older and joined Balamb Garden to become a SeeD. I thought I didn't need anyone till I found that sometimes, there is someone you need to protect even if you feel you don't need them…Rinoa was a girl who had hired my team and I to help her liberate her town from the Galbadian forces."

"She was…at best, a little annoying, but eventually she grew on me, especially when we were in space and facing down her being taken into custody because she had been possessed in a way by the Sorceress Ultimecia…she was so scared and all I could do was swear to protect her…But I knew I had to do more then that…I couldn't let anyone take her away from me…"

Leon seemed to become quiet as he looked down to his hands, "…When I came into this World, I felt that there wasn't anyone to protect like I had with Rinoa…I guess…"

"Guessed what?" the Therapist leaned forward slightly.

"…I guess I became the one that needed to be protected…Cloud, he…he never wanted me to be too far away from him or too far away that he couldn't get to me in time should something happen…he…became that way after his Darkness, Sephiroth, attempted to do more then just knock me around…" Leon closed his eyes as he ran his hands through his hair, "But I don't want to be protected! I'm fine without someone constantly being at my back to make sure I don't fall down or get hurt! I'm not fragile! I AM A STRONG WILLED PERSON WHO CAN HANDLE HIMSELF!"

The sound of Leon's fist slamming down on the table as it nearly broke the table, startled some of the others in the room, "…But I'm still weak…I took a stupid letters words to heart and look where its landed me…"

"Leon," a gentle hand took a hold of Leon's bruising hand, "I think you've made a great leap of progress today…Is that why you harmed yourself like you did? Did you think that Cloud thought you were weak and he didn't want you anymore?"

A soft nod came from Leon's slowly tearing up eyes.

With a soft embrace, the Therapist embraced the man, "That is something you will have to work on…but you've made some progress with realizing the one thing you just want out of your life…someone to protect. You're a natural protector as well as a hardened trained warrior…very unique qualities that is hardly seen in warriors."

"I did what I did because I thought…I thought that I wasn't worth anything to anyone; Restoration is over so it felt like…'What else is there to do? Cloud hasn't said whether or not he truly loves me…What's the point?' and when I found his letter…it just…it just sank it for me…I felt so free…there was nothing around to hurt me anymore…I felt…"Leon's gaze became distanced, "…free…but, it was a free that wasn't the kind you got after being released from prison…it was an indescribable feeling…"

The Therapist's hand never stopped writing down everything Leon had to say, "Well, I think our session is done for the day…I may be able to let you leave as soon as say, tomorrow?"

Leon's gaze turned towards her smiling face, "You mean that? You really mean that?"

"I can call your Guardian as soon as possible if you wish, I'm sure the rest of your family would be thrilled to hear about it," her smile never stopped as Leon couldn't stop himself from throwing his arms around the woman's neck and hugging her, "…It's all I can do for you, but getting yourself past your insecurities…that is something you need to do for yourself."

"What if I can't get past it?"

Her soft face pulled him back so she could look into his eyes, "…If you were able to save the World and still get the girl in the end, I'm sure you can get past insecurity."

~XXX~

"Highwind Household, what's up?" Cid grumbled as he ran his hand over his face while tapping away at the keyboard keys with the other hand, but when he heard the voice of the one calling; the man all but dropped the phone, "How may I help you, Ms. Trepe?"

A soft chuckle came from the Therapist's lips as she began to close up Leon's file, "How do you feel about a little family reunion tomorrow afternoon, at home?"

Vincent had taken to reading in the Living Room with Aerith as Aerith changed off between reading and working on her crochet work, but her hands stopped their work as if she knew that some form of celebration was going to be coming from the Computer Room. Vincent was all too ready for it as he counted down in his head to one, and upon reaching the final digit. The sound of Cid's war hoop hollering all but scared Yuffie from her perch on the outside of the house to survey for Cloud. Lately, Cloud had been taking his time as of late to get home from deliveries. Without Leon at home to come home to anymore, Cloud had an almost 'screw you and the World too' attitude towards everyone and everything, but today Yuffie wasn't on her usual perch to watch as she came inside to rant and rave at Cid for screaming like he had.

"Old Man, what is the big deal?" Yuffie glared at the man who had all but given the girl a heart attack, let alone, made her fall out of the tree to her utter demise, "What are you war hooping about now?"

Cid couldn't contain his joy as he ran into the Living Room, his face revealing it all as Vincent stood up and walked over to the man, placing a hand on Cid's shoulder, "What is it, Cid? Is there news about Leon?"

With tears in his eyes, "The Doc said that Leon can come home tomorrow afternoon, said he's made some real progress and she thinks he's good to come home tomorrow."

"HOORAY! SQUALLY IS COMING HOME!!" Yuffie war hooped now as she took a hold of Aerith's hands as she began to dance around the room with the brunette healer whose twinkling laughter seemed to fill the seemingly cold and quiet home.

"What did I miss?" Tifa walked in just as she saw Vincent embracing his tearful lover while Yuffie danced like a top around Aerith while Aerith stood nearby with her hands clasped in front her; a look of pure joy and 'I knew this was coming' on her face, "Hey, what's all the screaming and tears from Cid about?"

Cloud slowly started to bring up the rear behind Tifa as he pocketed his keys from Fenrir; he just wanted to go to his old room and mope, another night with Leon and yet another night feeling cold without his warmth there when there was enough blankets in the home for him to feel warm. He bypassed everything that was passing him by, even the sight of his joyful family celebrating the good news that Leon was coming home tomorrow; it wasn't until the man was all but nipped in the ankles hard by his internal guardian.

_"Foolish Lone Wolf…Family is happy because Proud Prince is coming home soon, why isn't Host happy as well?"_ Fenrir all but growled while in the back of its own mind; it was purring over a reunion with Griever tomorrow, if Griever would still speak to him, _"Why is Host not happy like family?"_

"…I am happy, its just…Leon doesn't deserve me after what happened…I…I'm the one who put him there…I treated him like he was nothing…he's going to leave me when he gets home, Cid already has plans to whisk him away from me…"Cloud seemed to stand in a world of his own while his family hugged and embraced as well as rejoiced while boasting about how they were going to welcome the Stoic Prince home, "He'll go away with Cid and he'll find someone else to care for him while he's away…he will, I know he will…"

Fenrir didn't like his Host's tone as he seemed to nuzzle up alongside the brooding lone wolf that Cloud was, _"Host…Griever has told this One that Proud Prince will never leave Lone Wolf…Proud Prince love Lone Wolf, but Lone Wolf…you have a hard time showing it to Proud Prince; that's why Proud Prince hurts himself like he does…Proud Prince would be lost without Host to guide Proud Prince in the ways of feeling whole with someone…he's always felt abandoned, always alone, don't let Proud Prince feel that way anymore Host…"_ the Guardian licked at his Host's cheek as it faded out into Cloud's subconscious as the sound of Cloud's bedroom door locking behind him seemed to draw the other's attention away from their plans and towards him.

"…I think it best that we hold off the celebration till Leon is truly home; Cid, you've made plans to take him with you on your two week work excursion, right?" Aerith looked to Cid as the man wiped his against his eyes once more.

"Yeah, I was going to take the boy with me because the Doc said it would be best for him because we don't know if he'll relapse or if Cloud will try something against the kid for doing what he did," Cid shrugged as he patted Vincent's caring shoulder, "I could leave tomorrow, but I don't know how well that'll go over with Leon since he hasn't seen you guys since the Hospital; I guess I can take him with me the day after tomorrow like I was planning to."

Tifa and Yuffie nodded in agreement, "Well, I think for now we should get to bed and get some sleep so we're all bright eyed and awake for when Leon comes home tomorrow," Tifa nodded as she ruffled Yuffie's hair.

"Tifa's right, alright, off to bed with all of you," Vincent remarked as he placed a soft kiss on Cid's cheek, "Busy day tomorrow, we've got a member of our family returning home tomorrow and we have to be at our best for his arrival."


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I hold no copyright ownership to any and all characters used in a fan fiction manner in this tale. All characters are copyrighted Disney/Square Enix and Tetsuya Nomura. I just use them for fan fiction purposes, and create the anguish with the writings of the tale before you.  
AN: Dang. How long has it been since I last wrote on this tale? Long time, hasn't it? ^^; Sorry about that folks. Life got away from me in the time since this got posted. Certain fandoms took my interests, such as animes and other things. Such as making GMVs (Gaming Music Videos) on YouTube and the mind straying from this tale like many others. I'm working on getting this and others finished. Sorry if tales that may be still "In Progress" don't say "Completed" since its been so long since I worked on any of 'em, I have to re-read my own works. Even edit some things to get an idea as to where to go with the tale. This being one of them. Thanks to a Review by "Guest" I decided to take up the mantle to work on this and finish it.

Chapter 6-A New Dawn Is Breaking  
Everything seemed to becoming roses as the saying would be, Leon was on a road to recovery and was going to come home. Even if the homecoming was only to gather up things and head out on the road for two weeks. Nonetheless, Leon seemed all smiles as he went from the Recreation Room back to his room, but something was nagging at the back of his mind. It had been nagging at him since dinner. He felt, he was being watched. In a sense, it could've Aerith's ever watchful, sisterly gaze. Then again, there was always the off chance of someone else watching. He had noticed a man that eeriely reminded him of Seifer in the Dining Hall that evening, but he had disregarded it as his mind, still tired, playing with him.  
But as he had learned from befriending Belle and the Beast, appearances, could be deceiving. Not to be fooled. He was trying to shut it all out as he rounded the corner to his room, and began for the door handle, but he took a moment.  
What is wrong, Host? Why Host not go through door? This one wants to rest because this one can't wait to get home to family, Griever prodded at the man, whining tiredly; it wasn't easy being a subconscious figure in the Ice Prince's head, Why you stop?  
Leon's very skin began to crawl as he felt someone watching him, "...Someone's been following me."  
Hackles grew on Griever as a deep growl formed in his throat, keeping an eye out for his Host, but as quickly as the worry came, it soon disappeared like a cold breeze. Cameras had been watching it all, Ms. Trepe had been watching Leon's demeanor and she had known someone was intentionally following him. But she had made it clear to not make the man uncomfortable. The figure that had been following was called off and to her office. Her demeanor was rigid and unappeased with the man as he pushed through the office door.  
"I told you to be discreet. To not make him feel as if he was being followed or watched. He's already wound tight and working on fixing that without you sending him into a psychotic break Mr. Amslay," Ms. Trepe remarked as she turned her stare upon him with Mr. Kinneas standing at the ready to protect her.  
A soft smirk crossed the man's face, "He's still as easy to set on edge as he was back in Balamb. Relax, I left Squally boy alone. Didn't rattle him too much. Not my fault he has a thing for blonde's with devious intentions."  
"Tch, you're just jealous you didn't nail him before someone else did, Seifer," Irvine remarked smuggily before turning to the monitors.  
"Watch it, Kinneas."  
"Enough," Quistis remarked as she sternly stared at the two, "Letting you trail him like you did shows to me what I worried about...Squall, now Leon, he worries about repercussions for what he does. I can see that he worries about Cloud coming after him and punishing him."  
Both men grew quiet, "Our worries for him aren't over, I still have a fear that Ultimecia...or even Adel may arise and try to do him harm without Rinoa to shield him."

XXX

In our lives, we have things we all fear; the monster under the bed or the one in the closet. The rapping of tree branches at the window panes that sound like a claw like creature pawing to get in. Even fears created from things we've encountered in our days of youth. Those within the house hold that Cid Highwind ran as the "Father" had things they feared. Yuffie feared having to do Sentry Duty around Radiant Garden; it was something she didn't look forward to and her fear of it was because of having to do it back in Wutai. One bad experience with falling out of a tree while spying on a pervy Priest of the local Temple was her excuse.  
Tifa's fear was the fear of being unable to keep Cloud under control while Leon was away. She had seen his reaction to Leon being gone just to check in on Phil at the Coliseum. A day's visit away had caused the blond to go into an anxiety panic that had her scared to even approach the man. She was just waiting for the shoe drop that was Cloud was going to do something just as stupid as the last time Leon had gone away. It had taken her all day the last time to corral the man and pin him down.  
With Leon going away for two weeks, she was going to have to sleep outside his room with a bell around his windows and door.  
Cid's fears were for his entire family, especially Vincent. He couldn't sleep without knowing Vincent was almost on top of the man. Losing too much on their old world had caused the old man to want those closest to him, really close. Vincent could understand the man's fear. He had lost precious things himself. Losing them, would all but kill him.  
Aerith, among everyone else; she seemed to live without fear. Or did a good job at hiding her fears. Knowing that Sephiroth was gone, Hollow Bastion was now restored to Radiant Garden, and that Leon was on the road to recovery. What was there to worry about? There was everything to worry about. Cloud's mental state. Leon's mental state. The two men were time bombs. Just waiting to set one another off. Cid may be the rock of the family as it was, but she was the true rock. Just hidden neatly underneath the bobs of brunette hair upon her head and behind a faintly shaking heart. Lying in bed, all she could do was pray to the Gods that Leon would come out of this a changed man. That all that had happened could be turned around and made perfect. As her eyes began to close, she started to hear what sounded like a soft rapping at her door.  
"Hello?" she quietly called out as she heard it more, brought forth by a soft voice that she knew to belong to Cloud, "Cloud, you're more then welcome to come in."  
Pushing open the door, she was shocked by what she was seeing; the man had all but scratched up his arms and was lightly bleeding, which was healing due to the Mako in his system. Dark circles were under his eyes, "What's wrong?"  
"So...cold...Just trying to get warm...I can't get warm...so cold...need warmth..." such a lost soul the man was as she felt pity for the man; she wanted nothing more then to send him out of the room.  
"Let's go downstairs..."

XXX

Aerith began to address his wounds, even though the Mako was quickly hiding the wounds and began a pot of tea to warm the man up. Even if it wasn't what was going to warm him. It was the best she could do with this circumstances. Seeing the state he was in, she could only judge as to what is subconscious spirit guide was feeling. Just seeing into his eyes; she could tell that Fenrir wasn't fairing well. He was howling deeply from within Cloud's soul. His fur matted and falling out. His majestic tail was drooping to the floor and looked as if the poor soul had been crying into it. Tears were growing at the back of her eyes as she looked away to Cloud's hands. But Cloud could tell, even in his off state of mind, that Aerith was distressed.  
"...Sorry to have pulled you out of bed, Aerith," Cloud began as he tried to pull his hands away from hers, but she held steadfast, "I'm such a pathetic fool."  
"You're a lot of things Cloud Strife, but not a fool. A little foolish with your words and actions, but not a fool. I know that if you could've, you would've gone and broken into his room at that Center and curled up on the floor beside his bed."  
Aerith watched to see how he'd react, the faint blush and shyness that grew on his face answered her very words. She knew him too well. A soft sigh came from her lips as she leaned her forehead against his, "Cloud...he will not leave you, if that's what you're so worried about...Leon isn't going to disappear."  
"But how can you be so sure?" Cloud's voice was filled with worry and unshed tears, but he felt himself pushed back as she pushed a finger into his forehead.  
"Cause silly, I'm special. Remember? Or do I need to bring Zack into this picture to knock some sense into that tired brain of yours?"  
There seemed to be a sudden change in Cloud; mentioning Zack was like a child hearing from their mother or father, "Do I need to bring your...into this?" Aerith could tell that an idle threat such as bring their best friend into the situation wasn't going to solve anything. Just, startle Cloud.  
"You make it sound so easy..."  
"Maybe, but its not going to be an easy road. If Cid decides to stay the night here tomorrow before heading off on his trip, I want you to promise me that you aren't going to corner Leon, you're not going to harass, talk down, chew out, or neglect Leon when he comes home."  
Cloud lightly nodded his head; he could hear the pending punishment in her voice if he did any of the above, "With that...you think you could go to sleep? I know you might be cold still, but just think about Leon being there with you in bed. Maybe it'll help your warmth issue. And I'm sure once Leon's home, things will be back to normal."  
"I know you're right, this time," Cloud pointed as he pushed her back slightly, playfully.  
"When am I ever not right, Cloud?" Aerith giggled as the two finished off the tea that had been cooking on the stove.

XXX

Morning, a time when new beginnings dawn. And new beginnings were dawning as Griever purred up against his Host, the purrs growing louder and louder. Leon couldn't tell why it was that Griever was doing that, he only did that when...  
"Morning," a soft feminine voice perked at Leon's ears; startling him awake as he saw a Nurse sitting on his bed side with the same hair color and cut as Rinoa, "I trust you slept well, Mr. Leonhart?"  
This couldn't be possible, Rinoa wasn't alive. None of them were. So why was it she was here? How was it she was here? This has to be a trick by a Sorceress. That was the answer. This had to be a dream, but no matter if he tried to close his eyes, she was still there. Oh Gaia, why was this nightmare happening? Leon began to back up into a corner on the bed. Wanting to reach for the Call Button, but he knew if he did that it would only delay his release. And he wanted to go home. He wanted to see familiar faces. This familiar face, wasn't what he wanted to see. Everything in him screamed to scream for help. But if she was merely a vision, he would be deemed crazy and sedated. Breaking Cid's heart as well as every one else's for his homecoming being postponed.  
"Mr. Leonhart?" the girl looked on at him before she realized his hand was upon the Call Button, "Mr. Leonhart, there's no need for you to do that, I'm your Discharge Nurse."  
"I don't care if you're the freaking Queen of England, what the Hell are you doing in my room!?" Leon was trying to keep his voice from sounding like he was screaming, "I don't recall hearing about intimate contact with patients as part of the code of conduct here!"  
As the Nurse looked on in shock and dismay, she could hear the running of feet to the room, Ms. Trepe was the first, "Ms. Mchale! I thought I locked you in your room! And I told you to not bug the other patients, heh, I guess we're lacking in security and need to fire those in Security and hire new security."  
"Sorry Ms. Trepe," the guards remarked as they went about the duty of escorting the woman out of the room, "Sorry Mr. Leonhart."  
And here I thought I was suppose to be safe here...Leon felt himself saying to himself as he mental reprimanded Griever for taking to the woman's attention. But something had seemed weird about how she was able to make Griever purr like that, the only other person who had been able to do that was...Rinoa. Leon's eyes watched the young woman being escorted out, she had that same look that Rinoa had. It couldn't be possible that it was her. Then again, everything he had encountered here wasn't possible. Running the palms of his hands into his eyes, scrubbing them awake before flopping back onto the mattress, Leon could feel his energy draining.  
"How much longer till I can go home?" that's all he wanted to know as he crossed his arms over his face, awaiting Ms. Trepe's answer.  
A soft sigh and smile crossed her lips, "Soon, Mr. Leonhart, soon."

XXX

The Restoration Committee House was a buzz with sounds and voices, excited voices that were ready for Leon to come home. Ready to see him and smother him in hugs and warm voices. Aerith contently went about making breakfast as she watched Cid a buzz making final preparations for the two week trip coming ahead in a matter of twenty four hours. Vincent contently was watching the man walk and work about the home as he sipped on a morning's cup of tea. Yuffie was still waking up from her rude awakening by Tifa who had seemed it her place to pull the sheets out from under her. With the intention of it being "laundry day" and she needed the sheets to wash them. Tifa seemed to stroll through the house, unaware of Yuffie's evil glare as she plopped her head on the kitchen table. The only one still not awake was the blond among them. Cloud had found it hard to fall asleep even after his talk with Aerith hours before.  
Thankfully, Aerith knew of a way to help the man sleep and the man was sleeping off the sleep potion she slipped into his tea while they had been talking. The man hadn't slept as soundly as he was since the last time they had to save their Planet. Tifa had almost intentions of waking him up like she had Yuffie, but after seeing how he had been curled up around the blankets and pillows. Her heart wasn't in it to wake the man. He had been beating himself up over sending Leon into the place he was in, she didn't want to add to that.  
He would wake on his own.  
Cid strolled in through his last packing as he placed a soft peck on Vincent's cheek then on Aerith's cheek, "Well, once I have something in me, I'm gonna head down to the Center and pick up our boy. I know you're all going to have questions for him, but its probably going to be best to give him space and time," his eyes looked towards the strange little family in front of him, reading their faces, "If the Chocobo Headed one makes his way down here while I'm gone, just tell him I've gone to get the Lion. He should know what I mean."  
"We will keep an eye him for you, Cid, don't worry. I had a talk with Cloud last night and I think he realizes what this homecoming means. I don't know how he's going to react to Leon coming home, but I'll keep a close eye on him," Aerith quietly remarked from the table as Tifa and Yuffie agreeded silently to do the same.  
"Thanks kids, well, here I go," Cid's tone of voice seemed strained; he was holding back emotions that he couldn't bare to face just now.


End file.
